About Us:
Established in 2005; the “Amigos de Santo Espírito” or directly translated ‘Friends of the Village of Santo Espirito; represents a group of people who either immigrated from or are decedents of immigrants from this village on the Island of Santa Maria in the Azores Archipelago in Portugal. Given that the Town of Hudson, Massachusetts, has the presumably largest concentration of immigran
ts in North America from this village of Santo Espirito – the founding members chose to make the Hudson Portuguese Club its headquarters and center of operations upon the organizations founding. Today It continues to operate from the Hudson Portuguese Club as a vibrant and active group in the Luso-American community both locally and regionally. From its outset the primary goal of the organization was and remains; promoting an annual “convivo” or reunion; for immigrants and their decedents of the village of Santo Espirito. The event is held in October of each year. The prominence of this reunion has not only brought together local immigrants from the village – but also current residents of the village, and former residents from West Coast of the United States, Canada, and Continental Portugal and their friends and extended families as well. At each annual convivo, the group chooses either an individual or an organization either from or related to the village – who have during their tenure in the village or in the diaspora – given of themselves to their community and or profession while maintaining and sharing their cultural and ethnic heritage with the communities in which they now live and serve. Monies raised by the group annually, are either reinvested in the organization as seed money for the following years event; or is donated to charitable causes both in North America and in the Village of Santo Espirito, and on educational scholarships awarded annually at the event. In past years the Organization has made donations to the Hudson Portuguese Club, Inc. as well as the Community Center of the Village of Santo Espirito. About our Name Sake Village:
The municipal Parish (or village) of Santo Espirito is located on the southeastern part of the island of Santa Maria in the Archipelago of the Azores in the middle of the North Atlantic Ocean. Today the Archipelago is an autonomous governing region and remains at is has since its discovery part of the Country of Portugal. Until the 1950-60, the village had a consistent population of about three thousand residents. Today, it has less than eight hundred permanent residents who call the village home. Most of its former residents emigrated to the United States and Canada. According to local oral histories and historical documents – the first Mass, honoring the Holy Ghost or “Espirito Santo” on the Azores Islands, was celebrated in the parish Church, Nossa Senhora da Purificacao. This mass and the traditional Imperio Feast that accompanies it was and remains one of the traditional Feasts immigrants from Santo Espirito and the Azores carried with them to their new homes around the world.
