The Festival in honour of Saint Martin and Saint Sebastian is celebrated in Rio de Moinhos, in the municipality of Penafiel, bringing together the moments that mark these local festivities: the Eucharistic celebration, the procession, music shows and folk dancing. It is one of several religious and cultural festivities that take place throughout the year in this parish, alongside the celebrations in honour of the Senhor dos Remédios.
Saint Martin has been, since the 11th century, the great patron saint of Penafiel, venerated for his charitable and loving nature. His figure occupies a prominent place in the Igreja Matriz, where he is depicted in the azulejos. Devotion to the saint is felt above all in the procession held in his honour, a tradition resumed in recent years that has become a defining moment, beginning with a solemn mass before making its way through the streets.
The connection to Saint Martin extends further into the calendar of Rio de Moinhos through the Magusto de S. Martinho, held in November, keeping the memory of the patron saint alive throughout the year.
Rio de Moinhos, in the municipality of Penafiel, is a land that holds time in layers: a Neolithic hillfort, Roman thermal baths and the Suebi, Visigoth and Moorish presences, of which the legend of the moira do Penedo da Pena remains. Settled on the right bank of the Tâmega, it was shaped in the late nineteenth century by the quarrying of granite, worked by calloused hands that left their mark on the stonework and the walls. Today it invites visitors to discover the Church of São Tiago, the Pelourinho do Largo do Carvalhal and the chapel of the Senhor dos Remédios, perched in a place of sweeping views. At the table, roast kid or lamb holds pride of place, accompanied by a selection of sweets that includes the tortas de São Martinho. It is a land accustomed to hard work that never forgets to celebrate.
