AP PHOTOS: Brazil’s Cavalhadas festival celebrates the Holy Spirit
Masked revelers take part in the Cavalhadas, or Holy Spirit, Festival in Pirenopolis, Goias state, Brazil, Sunday, June 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)
PIRENOPOLIS, Brazil (AP) — The heartland Brazilian city of Pirenópolis is hosting its annual Cavalhadas festival, a Holy Spirit celebration where participants ride horses, wear masks and don floral headpieces.
The tradition began in the 1800s with a Portuguese priest who wanted to celebrate the Holy Spirit — one of the entities of the Roman Catholic Church’s trinity — and also commemorate the victory of Iberian Christian knights over the Moors.
The festivities include an open-air reenactment of a battle between Christian warriors and Muslims. At the end, the defeated Moors are converted to Catholicism.
Moorish knights, in red, and Christian knights, in blue, ride horses during a battle reenactment at the Cavalhadas, or Holy Spirit, Festival in Pirenopolis, Goias state, Brazil, Monday, June 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)
Moorish knights, in red, and Christian knights, in blue, ride horses during a battle reenactment at the Cavalhadas, or Holy Spirit, Festival in Pirenopolis, Goias state, Brazil, Monday, June 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)
A masked reveler and his horse participate in the Cavalhadas, or Holy Spirit, Festival in Pirenopolis, Goias state, Brazil, Sunday, June 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)
A masked reveler and his horse participate in the Cavalhadas, or Holy Spirit, Festival in Pirenopolis, Goias state, Brazil, Sunday, June 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)
Revelers participate in a procession of the Holy Spirit during the Cavalhadas Festival in Pirenopolis, Goias state, Brazil, Sunday, June 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)
Revelers participate in a procession of the Holy Spirit during the Cavalhadas Festival in Pirenopolis, Goias state, Brazil, Sunday, June 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)
A Christian knight rides a horse during a battle reenactment at the Cavalhadas, or Holy Spirit, Festival in Pirenopolis, Goias state, Brazil, Monday, June 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)
A Christian knight rides a horse during a battle reenactment at the Cavalhadas, or Holy Spirit, Festival in Pirenopolis, Goias state, Brazil, Monday, June 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)
A reveler arrives to take part in the Cavalhadas, or Holy Spirit, Festival in Pirenopolis, Goias state, Brazil, Sunday, June 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)
A reveler arrives to take part in the Cavalhadas, or Holy Spirit, Festival in Pirenopolis, Goias state, Brazil, Sunday, June 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)
A family wearing costumes attends the Cavalhadas, or Holy Spirit, Festival, in Pirenopolis, Goias state, Brazil, Sunday, June 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)
A family wearing costumes attends the Cavalhadas, or Holy Spirit, Festival, in Pirenopolis, Goias state, Brazil, Sunday, June 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)
Congregants leave Mass at Our Lady of the Rosary church during the Cavalhadas, or Holy Spirit, Festival in Pirenopolis, Goias state, Brazil, Monday, June 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)
Congregants leave Mass at Our Lady of the Rosary church during the Cavalhadas, or Holy Spirit, Festival in Pirenopolis, Goias state, Brazil, Monday, June 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)
Girls pose for photos in front of the altar of the Divine Holy Spirit, during the Cavalhadas Festival in Pirenopolis, Goias state, Brazil, Sunday, June 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)
Girls pose for photos in front of the altar of the Divine Holy Spirit, during the Cavalhadas Festival in Pirenopolis, Goias state, Brazil, Sunday, June 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)
A woman carries the flag of Our Lady of the Rosary during the Cavalhadas, or Holy Spirit, Festival in Pirenopolis, Goias state, Brazil, Monday, June 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)
A woman carries the flag of Our Lady of the Rosary during the Cavalhadas, or Holy Spirit, Festival in Pirenopolis, Goias state, Brazil, Monday, June 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)
A reveler stands behind the flag of Our Lady of the Rosary at the Cavalhadas, or Holy Spirit, Festival, in Pirenopolis, Goias state, Brazil, Sunday, June 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)
A reveler stands behind the flag of Our Lady of the Rosary at the Cavalhadas, or Holy Spirit, Festival, in Pirenopolis, Goias state, Brazil, Sunday, June 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)
A masked reveler rides a horse during in the Cavalhadas, or Holy Spirit, Festival in Pirenopolis, Goias state, Brazil, Sunday, June 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)
A masked reveler rides a horse during in the Cavalhadas, or Holy Spirit, Festival in Pirenopolis, Goias state, Brazil, Sunday, June 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)
A girl stands in front of the church of Our Lady of the Rosary during the Cavalhadas, or Holy Spirit, Festival, in Pirenopolis, Goias state, Brazil, Sunday, June 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)
A girl stands in front of the church of Our Lady of the Rosary during the Cavalhadas, or Holy Spirit, Festival, in Pirenopolis, Goias state, Brazil, Sunday, June 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)
Masked revelers celebrate the hymn of the Divine Holy Spirit during the Cavalhadas Festival in Pirenopolis, Goias state, Brazil, Sunday, June 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)
Masked revelers celebrate the hymn of the Divine Holy Spirit during the Cavalhadas Festival in Pirenopolis, Goias state, Brazil, Sunday, June 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)
A Christian knight fires a gun during a battle reenactment at the Cavalhadas, or Holy Spirit, Festival in Pirenopolis, Goias state, Brazil, Monday, June 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)
A Christian knight fires a gun during a battle reenactment at the Cavalhadas, or Holy Spirit, Festival in Pirenopolis, Goias state, Brazil, Monday, June 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)
A reveler wears a hat and costume during the Cavalhadas, or Holy Spirit, Festival, in Pirenopolis, Goias state, Brazil, Sunday, June 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)
A reveler wears a hat and costume during the Cavalhadas, or Holy Spirit, Festival, in Pirenopolis, Goias state, Brazil, Sunday, June 8, 2025. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)
This is a photo gallery curated by AP photo editors.
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