The Cathedral of Angra will be illuminated in purple this Saturday, October 31

The Diocese of Angra announced that its cathedral in Angra do Heroísmo will be lit in purple on Saturday, October 31, to honor the victims of the 1755 earthquake. This tribute joins the Movimento Recordar 1755, an initiative by the QUAKE Lisbon Earthquake Museum intended to promote historical memory and seismic risk prevention.

The cathedral has a history of seismic damage. A strong earthquake on January 1, 1980, caused serious damage to the building. During reconstruction efforts on July 5, 1983, one of the towers and the frontispiece collapsed, and a fire on September 25 of that same year destroyed nearly all the sculptural heritage within the cathedral.

The diocese stated that these events highlight the vulnerability of built heritage to seismic activity and other risks. The lighting ceremony aims to encourage community resilience and the importance of disaster preparedness.