In an extraordinary induction ceremony held at the municipal auditorium of Velas, Azores, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa was officially welcomed as the newest member of the São Jorge association. The ceremony included the presentation of insignias by the head of the confraternity, followed by a reading of an honor pledge.
Speaking as a confrere, the President of Portugal highlighted the significant role of confraternities in the country’s gastronomic, educational, and social spheres. He also praised the “universal” nature and deep-rooted traditions of the confraternity that promotes the São Jorge cheese with protected designation of origin.
Marcelo explained his decision to accept the invitation to join the confraternity after a previous vow not to become a member of any such group. He cited “passion” and a fondness for cheese, as well as “institutional reasons” tied to the confraternity’s importance in the Azores, as factors influencing his decision.
Regarding São Jorge cheese, the President asserted that “nothing compares” to it in its category, describing it as “sufficiently strong not to be overwhelmed by any accompanying food or drink.”
Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa also expressed his “great joy” in having the confraternity accompany him “for the rest of his earthly life” on an “exceptional” basis.
He humorously added, “I shall find an imaginative way to bring that joy to eternal life,” mentioning his concern that São Jorge cheese might not be available “in the afterlife” and his “secret hope” that an “elder confrere, who departed earlier,” might have “conveyed the message” about the cheese.
To close the ceremony, the anthem of the Confraria do Queijo de São Jorge was sung in the auditorium, followed by applause and a group photograph.
