Camerina Rubio-Castanho (Center) is crowned queen of the Benicia Holy Ghost Parade in 2014. (File photo by Alan Gonzalez)

Since its inception more than a century ago, the Holy Ghost Parade has become an essential part of Benicia’s DNA. It is an annual celebration of Holy Ghost in the Catholic Church by the Portuguese community.
Sunday will be the 110th anniversary of the Holy Ghost Parade in Benicia. The festival starts at 10 a.m. with the Benicia Holy Ghost Society marshaling a parade through the city. At 1 p.m., the Society will serve traditional Portuguese food, and later in the day a queen will be crowned for the ceremony. The night concludes with a dinner at 6 p.m.
The parade has a centuries old history. After a famine struck Portugal during the 1200s, Queen Isabel prayed for her people to be saved. The Queen’s prayers were answered when three ships loaded with bread arrived in the harbor the next morning. As a way of honoring the miracle, Queen Isabel bestowed her crown to a young peasant girl. This girl then led everyone to church to give thanks.
The first Holy Ghost Parade was held in Benicia on May 25, 1907. Rose Duvall was crowned queen of that year’s parade. The Ghost Parade was dis-established, but in 1953, a special meeting was conducted that re-established the Benicia Holy Ghost Committee. 54 years later, the Holy Ghost Parade celebrated its 100th anniversary in 2007.
Ken Gonsalves has been part of the Holy Ghost Parade his whole life. Gonsalves’ grandfather migrated from Portugal to the United States at a young age and has lived in Benicia for a majority of his life, setting down roots in the city and having had a family who he passed down the Holy Ghost Parade tradition. Gonsalves himself has been president of the Benicia Holy Ghost Parade for 10 years. He says he’s going to pass along the family tradition like his father, grandfather, aunts and uncles did for him.
“The Holy Ghost Parade is a part of community, and it’s a part of Benicia heritage,” Gonsalves said. “As a matter of fact, we have on non-Portuguese come and help because it’s a Benicia tradition. People who have not and grown up in town want to be a part of this. It’s something that’s unique for a community. It’s kind of special for Benicia.”
According to Gonsalves, more than 1,000 people will show up to the parade. During the celebration, Gonsalves estimates 1,000 to 1,200 people will be severed Portuguese dishes and cuisines
“Even though it’s a Portuguese tradition and it’s a part of heritage and culture, the Holy Ghost Parade is not solely for the Portuguese, he said. “It’s for anyone welcome to join. If they want to join, they can. They can get information online at www.beniciaholyghost.org. People can also go to our Facebook page and become a part of our community and heritage and keep it going.”
The parade and festa will be held Sunday, July 23. The parade will begin at 10 a.m. at BDES Hall on 140 West J St. The procession will make its way to St. Dominic’s Catholic Church for the annual Mass, which will be celebrated at its new time of 10:45 a.m. After that, there will be servings, an auction, a dance and dinner. Portions of First Street will be blocked off to accommodate the parade. For more information, visit beniciaholyghost.org/bdes-festa/.

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