Aveiro hosted the XIII National Festival of Song Message that took place last Sunday, May 8th, at the College of Calvão. The great winner was the Diocese of Lamego with the theme “Surrender to the mission”.
Thirteen Dioceses accepted the invitation to participate in the National Festival that the Catholic Church in Portugal organizes every two years. The theme of the event, “Levanta-te”, tuned young people with the motto of World Youth Day 2023.
The Dioceses of Lamego, Lisbon and Aveiro, respectively, in 1st, 2nd and 3rd places, took the podium.
The winning song, “Insurrender to the mission”, by João Adrega and Denise Pinto, was performed by GJS – a group of young people from the Parish of the See (Lamego). “Tu estás aqui” represented the Diocese of Lisbon, by the voices and instruments of the Kantakumbos of the Parish of Brandoa. Singing at home were the Theotokos, from Gafanha da Nazaré, with the song “Cair”.
The Baruk group of the Diocese of Coimbra was awarded the “Ser Prize”, an award given by the festival participants themselves and which recognizes the most lively group.
The organization of this edition was entrusted to the Department of Youth of Aveiro, which, for the first time, challenged the competitors to live the festival throughout a weekend. Thus, there was time for workshops, prayer, rehearsals, sound tests and above all very conviviality. A winning bet that was felt in the good environment experienced on Sunday afternoon with the presence of D. António Moiteiro, Bishop of Aveiro, and Fr. Filipe Diniz, director of the National Department of Youth Pastoral.
