The Descida da Santa is one of the most unique cultural events in São Paulo. For almost 150 years, faithful and tourists have paid homage to Nossa Senhora do Livramento through a river procession on the Ribeira de Iguape River, uniting faith with riverside identity.
The tradition takes place annually in Iporanga, a municipality in the Ribeira Valley located about 330 kilometers from the capital. In addition to the religious celebration, the city is famous for hosting the Alto Ribeira State Tourist Park (PETAR), one of the main nature destinations in São Paulo.
Descida da Santa: 148 years of tradition
The blog Iporanga em Foco recounts details of the celebration’s origins. According to Alberto Corrêa, a resident of Iporanga, the image of Nossa Senhora do Livramento arrived in the city around 1878, with the first settlers in the region. It was entrusted to the care of Maria, a devout resident who lived on the banks of the Ribeira River.
After situations considered miraculous occurred in the region, the population began to attribute them to the Saint. As a result, devotees from all over the Valley began to visit Dona Maria, who decided to build a small chapel in honor of Our Lady to welcome them.
From then on, every December 31, Mary sailed to the city on a pilgrimage, carrying the image with her in a decorated canoe. Over the years, more and more faithful joined the procession, decorating the river with their own boats.
The procession grew even stronger in 1890 with the arrival of Portuguese Carlos Diogo Nunes. He created the “Estrela do Mar” ( Star of the Sea), a special white and blue boat that became a symbol of the patron saint’s crossing through Iporanga.
How about participating in a river procession?
The Descent of the Saint still takes place today on New Year’s Eve, always at sunset. The main boat sails accompanied by rowboats, canoes, steamboats, and even float cross practitioners, while fireworks announce its passage.
The festival plays a fundamental role in the collective memory of Iporanga. In addition, it transforms the Ribeira River into a living heritage, present in everyday life and in the riverside identity — an environmental treasure at a time when many waterways suffer from neglect and pollution.
