“ESPIRITO SANTO FETE PLANNED BY PORTUGUESE – The Point Loma Portuguese American colony tomorrow (“for the 41st year” [supposedly 1919?!?] – ed.) will participate in the Festa do Espirito Santo, or Feast of the Holy Ghost, a traditional ceremony traced to Portugal of 1323. It was in that year that Queen Isabel of Portugal proffered her crown to the Holy Ghost in return for answered prayers that her people be spared a famine. Although often a fishing boat and it’s skipper sponsor this San Diego event, this year Mr. and Mrs. EDWIN P. NUNES (his wife being Ms. MARGARET SILVA, granddaughter of FRANK PEREIRA SILVA; the man who initially gathered the funds to buy this community’s first CROWN of the Holy Spirit used at these events – ed.) are sponsors, fulfilling a promise made for recovery of a family member from illness.
PARADE PLANNED
Tomorrow’s activities will begin at 10:00 am as colorfully costumed Point Lomans parade from the Portuguese Hall at 2818 Addison St. (now Avenida de Portugal St. – ed.) to St Agnes Church, at 1140 Evergreen St., where there will be a solemn High Mass. Then, before the church altar, Ms. LORETTA SANCHEZ, age 16, of Palo Alto, California; a niece of Mr. & Mrs. Nunes, will be crowned the Festa Queen. Miss CAROL MEDINA, age 12, will be Junior Queen and little Miss Joyce Ball, age 4, will be Princess.
ATTENDANCE RAISED
The Queen will be attended by Miss BARBARA BALLATORE and DIANE AVILLA, the Junior Queen by Miss JEAN QUALIN and Miss CONNIE PEREIRA, and the Little Princess by DEBBIE and GAIL GONSALVES, two sisters. After the coronation, the Procession will return to the Hall for a midday meal. A festive Bazaar will be conducted there from 6:00 pm to midnight. Participating in the parade will be six replicas of saints, two bands, a color guard, and several members of religious and patriotic organizations.”
(*Source: San Diego UNION & Daily Bee newspaper – Saturday, June 4, 1960 – Pg. 17)
*Editorial Note: Young Holy Ghost Festival Queen Miss Loretta Jean Sanchez (b. September 8, 1944 in Santa Clara Co.) mother’s maiden name was ALICE MARIE NUNES; she being the sister the male half of San Diego’s 1960 ‘Festa’ sponsors, Mr. & Mrs. Edwin P. Nunes. Young Loretta (1944 – 2022) graduated from Hayward High, and later happily married Mr. Caton Joseph Frates (i.e. Freitas – ed.) from New Bedford, Massachusetts on June 12, 1965. They died just two days apart in Brentwood, CA, and are buried together at Santa Clara Mission Cemetery in Santa Clara County, California.