Farmer Walks 250 Kilometers to Honour Princess Isabel ‘The Redemptress’ with 128 Roses

Last Friday it was the 5th successive year that the Brazilian farmer João Paulino paid a moving tribute to Brazil’s would-be empress Isabel, the Princess Imperial (1846-1921). He travelled on foot the 250 kilometers from his hometown Desterro de Melo in the Minais Gerais to the imperial mausoleum in Petrópolis to honour the princess who abolished slavery in Brazil.  His grandfather, who lived to become 110 years old, was still brought from Africa to Brazil as a slave.

On May 13th João arrived to the cathedral of Petrópolis with 128 roses, one for each year that passed since the princess signed the Leio Áurea (Golden Law) which ended slavery. He attended and other pilgrims attended a mass for the princess. After  the priest blessed the roses, they were placed on the tomb of the princess.

In 1888 the Princess Imperial acted as a regent for her father, Emperor Pedro II of Brazil, who was travelling through Europe at the time. Although the act was popular among large parts of the Brazilian society, it was the main reason why Brazil became a republic one year later. The powerful slave owners ceased to support the monarchy which enabled the military coup s’état in 1889. One day after the coup princess Isabel wrote: “If abolition is the cause for this, I don’t regret it; I consider it worth losing the throne for.”

              Isabel the Redemptress

Source: Globo

Filed under Brazil
Tagged Brazil, House of Orleans-Bragança, Isabel Princess Imperial.

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