[Congressional Record Volume 160, Number 94 (Tuesday, June 17, 2014)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1001]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  RECOGNIZING THE 100TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE LOS BANOS DIVINO ESPIIRITO 
                                 SANTO

                                  _____
                                 

                             HON. JIM COSTA

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, June 17, 2014

  Mr. COSTA. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to recognize the Los Banos 
Portuguese Divino Espiirito Santo (Los Banos Portuguese DES) 
organization on their 100th anniversary.
  The story of the Los Banos Portuguese DES Association began more than 
700 years ago with the birth of a royal princess. Queen Saint Isabel 
was born in Aragon, Spain, in 1271. According to legend, a famine 
seized Portugal in 1292, and she donated generously to her people. 
Moved by the example of their queen, the Portuguese nobles asked 
permission to create a festival in honor of these generous acts. Every 
year on Pentecost Sunday, the Portuguese people collect donations to 
feed the community. The festa made its way from Western Europe to the 
Azores and eventually the United States on the proverbial backs of 
Portuguese Azorean immigrants. The festa is still celebrated today.
  In 1904, Azorean Portuguese immigrants founded the Los Banos chapter 
of the organization which honors Queen Saint Isabel's example--the 
Irmandeade do Divino Espiirito Santo 64. The organization was 
incorporated and later changed its name to Los Banos Portuguese DES 
Association. The Los Banos Portuguese DES Festa was incorporated in 
1914. The festa was originally celebrated in a building that was a 
community center built in the early 20th century. Several individuals 
were largely responsible for the rebuilding of the community center and 
its subsequent revival into a Portuguese Hall.
  In 1934, the Los Banos DES purchased the property where the current 
hall stands today. Several families were involved with building the 
hall, most notably the Fagundes, Freitas, Parreira, Rosa and Silva 
families. The community celebrated its first festa there in 1937.
  From the 1930s to the 60s the DES Hall was the central venue for many 
weddings, parties, and church bazaars, as it was the only completed 
community center in Los Banos for many years. The Los Banos Dairyman's 
Association held their meetings there until the late 1960s and wrote 
the minutes of the meetings in Portuguese until 1949. Free food would 
always be served to the community on days of celebration.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask my colleague to join me in recognizing the Los 
Banos Portuguese Divino Espiirito Santo in celebration of the 100th 
Annual Festa. This community's rich heritage, with its commitment to 
the ideals of their patron Queen Saint Isabel, has continued for one 
hundred years.

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