Asking for a "blessing"

[Jason Fraga]

Sorry, all- I sent this from a different email address a few minutes ago and I think it bounced due to lack of permission to post.  This address should work.

 

 

I know that in the old country, my Azorean relatives would honor the custom of asking for the blessing of their elders.  My "Uncle" Tony (who is actually my Grandmother's brother) told me a funny story about attending family functions and funerals where my Great Grandfather upon entering a room would see all of the old and imposing "Aunts" lined up.  My Vavoo would get serious and tell Uncle Tony (with emphasis), "Now, you go up right away to them and ask for their blessing; I don't want any trouble".  I always laugh, because I can picture my Vavoo saying that.  And from family stories that were passed down, you sure didn't want to mess with the old aunts in my family.

 

So, on the subject of the blessing, do any of you know how it actually goes em Portugues, and a rough translation?  I was thinking that it would be nice to teach to my kids for the next time that we see Uncle Tony.

 

Thanks in advance,

 

Jay

[Cakem...@aol.com]

I was taught to ask for a blessing from my Parent's, Godparents and any Aunts and Uncles.  I would bring my hand up and kiss it and say "Benca,(sp?)  Padrinho" or whoever I was addressing.  This was done with family members upon seeing them first thing in the morning and again when we went to bed.  For those who did not live with us, we would ask the blessing upon seeing them whether it be at their house, at a festa or when they visited us. My godson will still ask a blessing from me when he sees me and it makes me nostalgic for the old days when it was a common occurrence.

 

Mary Ann

 

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[Ema...@aol.com]

Beautiful...ah, the good old days. 

[John Raposo]

Pai, sua benção!  Father, your blessings! etc.

[Jason Fraga]

Tremendous! Thanks very much-

 

Jay

[John Raposo]

By the way, Jay, in S. Miguel it would have been pronounced "Pah, swuh bense"

[Terri]

I am still expected to ask for blessing EVERY single time i enter my
parents house (or aunts, uncles, godparents, grandparents...) as a
sign of respect.
If i walk in my parents home and DON'T ask for the blessing...my dad
will look at me crossly or say 'Well...finally! It's about time!!"
when i do remember.
I have although...turned it into half English/Portuguese . I will say
"mom abenca' or dad abenca'

[Linda Norton]

I just remembered when I was maybe 7 or 8 years old, my father brought my
brother and I to visit my grandmother and he made us rehearse before we go
to her apartment to say vavo sabence, of course, I asked what it meant, but
don't remember what he said. It's come back with this email though.

He made us repeat it so we got it right before she answered the door. When
she opened the door, we shouted vavo sabence and she was really excited, she
responded in Portuguese, but I can't remember what it was. I think we would
say it every time we saw her from then on.

Linda Borges Furtado Norton

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[John Raposo]

She would have responded "Deus te abençoe", i.e. God bless you!  Interestingly this is a Muslim custom as well, including raising the palm of the hand to the mouth. One of the most common Portuguese expressions, Oxalá, comes from the Arab, May God will, God willing, etc. We have had many discussions about our Jewish roots. Is it time for a discussion of out Muslim roots?

 

John Miranda Raposo    

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[emc]

>She would have responded "Deus te abençoe", i.e. God bless you!

Hi John:   I don't know how to say it in Portuguese....unfortunately ....but MY grandmother's response to "Bless me Grandmother" was "with all my heart"..:-)   Elizabeth

[Nancy Couto]

John,

It wasn't until I took an introductory Portuguese course that I had the opportunity to see how Portuguese words were actually spelled.  I remember hearing my mother and grandmother using the phrase "Oxala que" often in conversation.  To me it sounded as if they were saying "Oh, Shellac."  I thought this was very strange.  Now I can only marvel at how my grandmother, who had no formal education, was so comfortable using the subjunctive.

How interesting that this expression has Arabic roots!

Nancy

[John Raposo]

In sh'a la (the spelling is probably off), Allah willing. 

From: Nancy Couto <nvcou...@gmail.com>
To: azo...@googlegroups.com
Sent: Sunday, May 8, 2011 5:39 PM
Subject: Re: [AZORES-Genealogy] Re: Asking for a "blessing"

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