Portuguese American Journal

Portuguese American Journal

Featured Stories
Maria João Pires: Acclaimed piano virtuoso announces the end of her career  Award | Djaimilia Pereira de Almeida wins the Fernando Namora Literary Prize  Citizenship Community | Fall River to host NY Portuguese Short Film Festival Book | Asterix in Lusitania | By Rene Goscinny et al
 

Maria João Pires: Acclaimed piano virtuoso announces the end of her career – Portugal

Maria João Pires, one of the world’s most acclaimed pianists and a central figure in Portuguese and European classical music, has formally announced that she has ended her career as a performer. The declaration was made during the award acceptance ceremony for the Helena Vaz da Silva European Award, held on November 1 at the […]

Award | Djaimilia Pereira de Almeida wins the Fernando Namora Literary Prize  – Portugal 

Lusophone writer Djaimilia Pereira de Almeida, 43, has been distinguished with the Prémio Literário Fernando Namora, one of Portugal’s most prestigious awards for fiction, for her novel Livro da Doença. The prize recognizes outstanding works of narrative prose published in Portuguese during the previous year. Almeida’s win marks a significant moment in contemporary Lusophone literature, […]

Citizenship – Portuguese Parliament approves new nationality law – Portugal

Portugal’s Parliament [Assembleia da República] approved yesterday a sweeping reform of Portugal’s Lei da Nacionalidade [Citizenship Law], marking one of the most significant shifts in the country’s citizenship framework in more than a decade. As an organic law, the reform now moves to the desk of the President of the Republic, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa. […]

Community | Fall River to host NY Portuguese Short Film Festival – Massachusetts

The Arte Institute is bringing the NY Portuguese Short Film Festival (NYPSFF) to Southeastern Massachusetts, with free screenings on November 10 at Bristol Community College’s Fall River Campus.  Presented in partnership with LusoCentro, the event highlights some of the most innovative works by emerging Portuguese filmmakers, connecting Portugal’s contemporary cinema to one of the largest […]

Book | Asterix in Lusitania | By Rene Goscinny et al – Editor’s Note

Asterix in Lusitania, the newly announced volume of the legendary French-Belgian comic series, has been hailed as a heartfelt tribute to Portugal’s rich history, culture, and national identity. The book marks the first time Asterix and Obelix travel to ancient Lusitania, bringing the Iberian Atlantic frontier to life with humor, creativity, and a deep respect […]

Religion | Portuguese nation greets Leo XIV new pope elect – Portugal

09 May 2025

The election of Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Francis Prevost, marks a significant moment in the Catholic Church, and Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa has extended heartfelt congratulations to Pope Leo XIV, expressing “profound joy” for himself and the Portuguese people. In an official statement, he welcomed the new pontiff, emphasizing the shared values and […]

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Posted in Featured, Heritage, Organizations, People, Portugal, Religion, World

Immigration | Thousands of undocumented migrants to be repatriated – Portugal

07 May 2025

Portugal is currently undertaking measures to expel over 18,000 undocumented migrants, the incumbent caretaker Prime Minister Luís Montenegro announced early in May. The initiative was detailed by Minister of the Presidency António Leitão Amaro, who stated that the government would begin issuing expulsion notices starting this week. The initial phase involves notifying around 4,500 individuals, […]

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Posted in Featured, Organizations, People, Politics, Portugal, World

May 5th | World Portuguese Language Day – Portugal

04 May 2025

World Portuguese Language Day is celebrated annually on May 5th, in about 50 countries, to honor the global significance of the Portuguese language and the diverse cultures of Lusophone (Portuguese-speaking) countries. On this day, various cultural events and activities are organized worldwide to raise awareness of the importance of Portuguese as a global language and […]

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Posted in Community, Featured, Heritage, Organizations, Portugal, World

Opinion | Four Portuguese cardinals are in contention for the papacy | Len Port

01 May 2025

There is the intriguing possibility that a Portuguese, or at least a Portuguese-speaking, cardinal will succeed Pope Francis as the global head of the Catholic Church. This suggestion follows the astonishing power cut across Portugal and Spain, which prompted widespread speculation about a Russian cyber-attack, or even Armageddon—the end-of-the-world prophecy described in the Book of […]

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Posted in Featured, Organizations, People, Portugal, Religion, World

Book | Slavery and Religious Conversion in Portugal’s Indian Empire, 1500-1700 | By Stephanie Hassel – Editor’s Note

29 April 2025

In the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, enslaved Africans and Asians were part of the larger Portuguese project of building and maintaining a Catholic empire in the Indian Ocean. Both the Church and the Crown influenced the owner-slave relationship across households, the most basic organizational unit of power over the populace. Responsible for their enslaved dependents’ […]

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Posted in Arts&Culture, Books, Featured, Heritage, Portugal, Religion, World

Travel Alert | Massive power outage paralysed airports  – Portugal

28 April 2025

Portugal experienced a nationwide power outage today, April 28, as part of a widespread blackout that also affected Spain, France, and other European countries. The exact cause is still under investigation. The outage began around 12:30 p.m. local time, severely disrupting airports in major cities including Lisbon, Porto, and Faro. The Lisbon Metro, trains, and […]

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Posted in Azores, Community, Featured, Madeira, Portugal, Travel, World