A look at the Paschal Lamb in Portugal from chapter XII of the book of Exodus

Abstract

Chapter XII of the Book of Exodus inspired the investigation undertaken in this study, which aims to intertwine the materiality and mysticism of the Lamb in the context of the Paschal feast. Since antiquity, this quadruped has featured both in common dietary practices and, consequently, in symbolic interpretations. The ovine landscape that shaped the lifestyle preceding and paralleling the biblical corpus fostered a sense of familiarity among the sacred authors, prompting them to incorporate it into their texts. Due to its taxonomic attributes, the Lamb, alongside unleavened bread, has been chosen as a Paschal symbol since the earliest days of pastoralism and agriculture. At that time, the firstborn of the flock was sacrificed, and the first fruits of the harvest were offered as gifts to God. From then until the present, Western culture, particularly Portuguese culture, continues the use of the Paschal Lamb in its dual profane and sacred dimensions. While the former involves consuming its meat during the Paschal meal, the latter envisions the Lamb as a supernatural entity. Although it assumes multiple identities throughout biblical texts, the Lamb endures in religious and cultural history through the solemn Eucharistic ritual, where the image of the resurrected Christ is evoked as a metaphor for humanity's triumph over those deemed to symbolize Evil. This banquet, which began in ancient pagan rituals, passed through the Hebrew Exodus and the Christian Easter, perpetuates itself not as a natural and fleeting food for the pilgrim, but as a mystical nourishment that satisfies beyond human limits.