The heart of Brazil’s first monarch, Dom Pedro I, has arrived in Brasilia to commemorate two centuries of independence from Portugal.
The heart, which is stored in a flask containing formaldehyde, was transported from Portugal on a military aircraft.
It will be greeted with military honours before to being displayed publicly in the foreign ministry.
The heart will be returned to Portugal following the independence day of Brazil.
Portuguese officials authorised the relocation of the preserved organ from the city of Porto to Brazil for the bicentennial celebrations.
The organ arrived aboard a Brazilian air force aircraft accompanied by Rui Moreira, the mayor of Porto.
After basking in “the acclaim of the Brazilian people,” according to Mayor Moreira, it will return to Portugal.
Alan Coelho de Séllos, chief of protocol at Brazil’s foreign ministry, stated, “The heart will be received like a head of state; it will be treated as if Dom Pedro I were still among us.”
A cannon salute, an honour guard, and full military honours will be performed.
“The national anthem and the independence anthem will be played,” Mr. Séllos added. “Both were penned by Dom Pedro I, who was also a talented musician in his spare time.”
Dom Pedro was born in 1789 into the Portuguese royal family, which governed Brazil at the time. In order to escape Napoleon’s invading army, the family fled to the Portuguese colony.
In 1821, when Dom Pedro’s father, King John VI, went to Portugal, he left the 22-year-old regent in charge of Brazil.
A year later, the young regent disobeyed the Portuguese parliament, which desired to maintain Brazil as a colony, and refused its demand that he return to his native country.
On September 7, 1822, he proclaimed Brazil’s independence and was soon crowned emperor.
He died of tuberculosis at the age of 35 after returning to Portugal to fight for his daughter’s right to ascend to the Portuguese throne.
On his deathbed, the king requested that his heart be brought to the city of Porto and placed on an altar in the church of Our Lady of Lapa.
In 1972, to commemorate the 150th anniversary of independence, his body was moved to Brazil and placed in a crypt in So Paulo.
