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ARTICLE. From the Spring 2025 Half Moon Bay History Association’s “Coastside Chronicles” written by Ellen Chiri. Donate or volunteer!
Portions of this article are excerpted from the Spring 2021 issue of Coastside Chronicles.
The Brotherhood of the I.D.E.S. Society, a Portuguese fraternal organization, was organized in Half Moon
Bay in 1871, and in Pescadero in 1901. The initials I.D.E.S. stand for Sociedade Da Irmandade do Divino
Espirito Santo—the Society of the Divine Holy Spirit. Every year the I.D.E.S. holds the Holy Ghost celebration, a tradition rooted in the Azore Islands. Portugal’s 14th century Queen Isabel introduced celebrations of the Holy Spirit to Portugal, and its traditions became widespread in the Azore Islands. It is said that Queen Isabella would lead a procession to the church to celebrate Mass, carrying her crown to have it blessed to show her devotion to God. People emulated these processions when in difficult situations, carrying a crown to the church to ask for God’s help.
A violent earthquake, followed by drought and famine, left the people of the Azore Islands without food and shelter. Following Queen Isabel’s example, they carried a crown to the church and celebrated Mass,
asking the help of the Holy Spirit. Soon after their desperate plea, a ship arrived with sustenance and
the traditional celebrations of thankfulness began.
Holy Ghost celebrations are held today in Portuguese
communities around the world. In Half Moon Bay and in Pescadero on Pentecost Sunday, the seventh Sunday after Easter, processions leave the I.D.E.S. grounds and walk through town to the Catholic church. A Queen who represents Queen Isabel carries the crown, accompanied by her Maids and a Little Queen. The crown and scepter, symbols of thankfulness, are blessed.
Tradition tells us that in 1896, each of the 100 Half Moon Bay I.D.E.S. members contributed four silver
dollars to have a crown made. A San Francisco silversmith made the crown, which weighs eight pounds. That crown and the accompanying scepter have been used in Half Moon Bay’s Holy Ghost festivals ever since.
After the service, the procession returns to the I.D.E.S grounds, and the feast begins. The tradition of
thanksgiving includes welcoming everyone and supplying all with meat, bread, and wine. Bob Fernandez, 1994 Half Moon Bay I.D.E.S. President, remembers, “Early on, the local farmers used to donate cattle to the I.D.E.S. for the Celebration.” The members slaughtered and butchered the cattle, and
“the meat was cooked and served to the people.”
Today, several thousand pounds of beef are blessed and are cooked in the large brick ovens on the Half
Moon Bay I.D.E.S. grounds “…in a sauce made of wine, water, and a variety of spices and secret ingredients known only to the head cook.”
The Holy Ghost celebration is also called Chamarita, after a dance. The Chamarita dance begins after the feast, and people of all ages join in. The dancers form a circle, and a caller gives directions for the dancers to follow as the music plays. The dance sings “Chama Rita! Chama Rosa! Que Bonita! Que Formosa!”… (Call Rita! Call Rosa! How pretty! How beautiful!)
In the early days, Pescadero and Half Moon Bay celebrated together. After Pescadero’s I.D.E.S was formed in 1901, Pescaderans no longer had to travel to Half Moon Bay to celebrate. In 1914 the Pescadero I.D.E.S built the hall that still serves as the center for the celebration there. The queen leads the procession to St. Anthony’s, carrying the crown, where it is blessed. After the service the procession returns to the hall for the feast—as with Half Moon Bay’s celebration, all are welcome.
The Holy Ghost Festival continues to honor the Holy Spirit and to give thanks, becoming less solemn over the years. Bob Fernandez remembers, “In earlier times like the 1950s and 1960s, students at the local schools had a minimum day on the Monday after the Celebration. This was so they could go to the
Celebration, enjoy the rides the carnival had and have the traditional meal.”
Rose Ormonde tells us “When I was growing up in the ‘60s, Chamarita weekend was the biggest event of the year for Half Moon Bay. I remember the excitement… the lights of the Ferris Wheel, the delicious smell in the air of the Chamarita meat cooking for hours in the cookhouse, the first taste of pink popcorn or that wonderful cherry snow-cone…As I grew older, I understood that the Holy Ghost Festival was more
than a carnival or a colorful parade…it was to honor a centuries-old tradition giving thanks to the Holy Ghost for saving the people of the Azore Islands after a drought and famine and honoring Queen Isabel.”
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