Certainly you have already heard the expression
“caiu o Carmo e a Trindade” when an accident or
something like that happens. Have you already
thought or asked the reason why people usually say
that? Have you? I’ll explain it.
Going
back through 250 years in history and we will find
the answer. We were in 1755. It was Sunday, the 1st
of November. Sure, you have already concluded that
we are talking about the violent earthquake that
caught Lisbon by surprise. Therefore it is... … and
now you can ask me:
- What is the connection of the earthquake of 1755
with this popular expression ?
I’ll
answer it:
At that time there were very important constructions
in the city center of Lisbon: the Carmo and the
Trindade, which were famous convents, were two of
these important buildings. With the earthquake
started a big fire which burned during one month and
then these two constructions fell down. In fact the
Portuguese felt that they lost two important
monuments. In our days this expression is used to
show the lost of something important. Certainly many
people use it without to know the reason!
This
work was made by
Ricardo Gonçalves Nº16 7ºC
Italian
Norwegian
Portuguese
