OS BATISMOS DA MEIA-NOITE

Category: Collections, Photography, Coming soon

€35.00 Not available

ISBN: 978-84-09-85376-2

Author: Joan Alvado

Published by Joan Alvado
Texts: Joan Alvado
Design: Jasper Cao Yi (Cactus Press)
Binding: Softcover with flaps. Swiss binding
Pages: 116
Dimensions: 16 x 23 cm
Language: English
Publication Date: 2026

The mountainous heart of Alto Minho, in northern Portugal, is a mystical landscape where centuries of isolation have shaped the beliefs of its inhabitants. Here, the boundary between the living world and the supernatural seems to dissolve, and spiritual practices that many might imagine are confined to the pages of ancient books remain very much alive: incantations, spirit possession, witchcraft, exorcisms, portals, and countless forms of white magic used to ward off evil.

Os Batismos da Meia-Noite (The Midnight Baptisms) occupies a space between fantasy and ethnographic exploration, documenting beliefs that many continue to dismiss as folklore from a bygone era. The photographs are presented alongside personal accounts gathered by the author during his ethnographic research in Alto Minho, alongside diagrams of petroglyphs, wood engravings, mineral interventions, vernacular photographs and historical documents.

Through this multilayered narrative, the book reveals a unique spiritual worldview and a rich legacy of popular culture passed down through generations. At its heart lies the Serra da Peneda, a mountain steeped in symbolism, where the forces of light and darkness have been locked in an eternal struggle since time immemorial.