The Archdiocese of Belém holds the 147th Sermon of the Seven Last Words on Good Friday, uniting faith, history, and sacred music in reflection.
Newsroom (02/04/2026 Gaudium Press ) Belém celebrates one of its most enduring Lenten traditions this Good Friday, as the Archdiocese of Belém do Pará holds the 147th edition of the Sermon of the Seven Last Words. Scheduled for April 3 at 12 p.m. in the historic Santo Antônio Chapel, the meditation will be delivered by Archbishop Dom Julio Endi Akamine. The event remains one of the most deeply rooted expressions of Lenten spirituality in the capital of Pará, annually gathering hundreds of faithful in prayerful silence.
The Sermon recalls the seven phrases spoken by Jesus during the three hours of agony on the cross, words that have resonated for centuries as the ultimate testament of love and forgiveness. These utterances—“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing”; “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise”; “Woman, here is your son. Here is your mother”; “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”; “I thirst”; “It is finished”; and “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit”—form the foundation for spiritual contemplation, silence, and prayer.
According to the archdiocese, each word invites a renewed moment of reflection, supported by the moving strains of Le Sette Ultime Parole di Nostro Signore sulla Croce, composed by the Italian maestro Giuseppe Saverio Raffaele Mercadante (1795–1870). The sacred music will be performed by the Dom Vicente Zico Choir, maintaining a link between musical heritage and religious devotion. “With each word,” the archdiocese notes, “the faithful are invited to spiritual reflection, accompanied by Mercadante’s composition.”
For those unable to attend in person, the entire meditation will be broadcast live by the Nazareth Communication Network, the official broadcaster of the Archdiocese of Belém. The simultaneous gathering—both in the chapel and through the airwaves—reflects the event’s widening spiritual reach in modern times.
The Sermon of the Seven Last Words, also known as the Sermon of the Three Hours of Agony, has a venerable history in Belém. The first edition was organized by the Sisters of Saint Dorothy of Frassinetti in the chapel of Saint Anthony College on April 10, 1879, and again in 1881. The sacred images that adorn the liturgical setting—depictions of Our Lord Crucified, Our Lady of Sorrows, Saint John the Evangelist, and Saint Mary Magdalene—were brought from Italy and remain preserved to this day.
From its earliest editions, Mercadante’s composition accompanied the devotion, giving it a distinct artistic and emotional character. Between the 1940s and 1950s, the choir was composed entirely of Daughters of Mary and invited soloists, who exerted considerable influence on Pará’s classical music scene. From the 1960s onward, this tradition was carried by the Santa Cecília Choir, sustaining the harmonious union of art and faith that defines the ceremony.
Today, nearly one and a half centuries later, the Sermon continues as a living testament to Pará’s enduring Catholic identity—merging scripture, music, and centuries of devotion in a moment of communal reflection and sacred memory.
- Raju Hasmukh with files from ACI Digital
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