Portuguese words for blessing

[Cheri Mello]

Repost for Henry Araujo, henryaraujo at yahoo.com

i te abençoe was the reply that your vavó probably used

[Ricardo Chaves]

Hi Chery, 

I remember in the old days, my grandparents showing us grandchildren a "weird face" if we forgot to ask them for their blessing. We don't hear it so often today, but is still common in some more rural places. It was also a sign of respect!

In some kind of "slang" one of the most common expressions was "Vó Bença" which was a request, correctly written as "Avó a sua Benção" and the reply would be, from the grandparent, "Deus de Abençoe". Was used also with parents, and uncles, etc. Specially in those families who took religion more serious.

In English, "Please you blessing" and "God bless you"

There are many variants of this tradition, depending on the Island maybe, or even village and age of generations, this is the one I was raised with.

On Wed, Feb 5, 2014 at 4:41 AM, Cheri Mello <gfsc...@gmail.com> wrote:

Repost for Henry Araujo, henryaraujo at yahoo.com

i te abençoe was the reply that your vavó probably used

--
For options, such as changing to List, Digest, Abridged, or No Mail (vacation) mode, log into your Google account and visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/Azores. Click in the blue area on the right that says "Join this group" and it will take you to "Edit my membership."
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Azores Genealogy" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to azores+un...@googlegroups.com.
To post to this group, send email to azo...@googlegroups.com.
Visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/azores.

--

Ricardo Chaves

[Rodney Figueiredo]

I have to say that growing up in Brazil, we have the same tradition.  It is a sign of respect to ask for your grandparent's blessing whenever you see them.  We usually ask for it by saying "Benção, Vó/Vô" and they reply "Deus te abençõe." 

[Richard Francis Pimentel]

 

Hi Ricardo,

 

It is a custom used in different nationalities in the past and it is dying out today. Whenever we would visit our French Canadian Grandfather before we left we would ask him for a blessing. This was the custom then in the 1950’s. For reasons entwined in society it is not done today.

 

Rick

 

Richard Francis Pimentel

Spring, TX

[Ângela Loura]

That's right, Ricardo. 

Even today, when I talk to my godmother on the phone, I usually start with "Madrinha sa bença" (Madrinha, a sua benção = Please your blessing, Godmother), followed by her "Deus te abençoe (God bless you).

2014-02-05 Richard Francis Pimentel <Rfrancis...@comcast.net>:

[apor...@yahoo.com]

Very sad that we are losing these traditions of love and respect.  Personally, I think it grounds us and traditions like these give us a sense of stability, love and continuance.  I don’t know if my grandparents were ever a part of this tradition but; I do know we were taught to respect our elders.  I could not bring a book to read when we visited my grandmother as it was considered disrespectful to not pay attention to her while we were visiting.  Seems “quaint” now.

😏

Sam in Maz

Sent from Windows Mail

[Terri]

This tradition definately isn't old in MY house.  My parents still give me a screwy face if I'm in their house and I haven't asked for their blessing .  "Dad abenca...or Mom abenca"      If I forget and say it minutes later...I'd get the response and a "Oh!  Finally!"  I still ask my aunts and uncles for blessings too whenever I see them.   I do however remember that a couple of my cousins used to ask my grandfather for the same blessing but they would also kiss the back of his hand too.

 

Terri Santos

Researching Agua de Pau, Agua d'Alto, Ginetes, Vila Franca do Campo