On 7 June, as part of the Cabeceiras de Basto Book Fair, another volume of the collection of selected works by Camilo Castelo Branco was presented to the public. Each of these reissued literary works has a new setting of the Camillian text, as well as a critical introduction, contextualising each book.
This public session was attended by the vice-president of the CCDRN (Northern Regional Coordination and Development Commission) for Culture and Heritage, Jorge Sobrado; the mayor of Cabeceiras de Basto, Francisco Alves; Cândido de Oliveira Martins, coordinator of this Camillian collection and lecturer at the Portuguese Catholic University - Braga; and the Editor of Opera Omnia, José Manuel Costa.
This is the fifth title in the collection of Camilo's works - Eusébio Macário - with the particularity that the story centres on a family from Cabeceiras de Basto. All these reissued works are sponsored by the CCDRN and supported by various municipalities in the region, with the particularity of being linked to Camilo's literary geography. In fact, as mentioned during the session, other Camillian works contain various references to the lands of Basto. Today more than ever, the session emphasised, it is important to read a classic author like Camilo.
On this occasion, the importance of celebrating Camilo by encouraging his reading among different generations was emphasised. At the same time, some of the greatest features of the writing of this classic author of Portuguese Literature were highlighted: the masterful use of the Portuguese language, the power of observation of society, the sharpness of his satire, the problematisation of moral values, the creation of unforgettable human types and the brilliant ability to tell stories, among other aspects that immortalise the legacy of this great writer.
The Portuguese Catholic University is one of the partner institutions in the consortium set up by the CCDRN, which is coordinating a wide-ranging programme of activities around the celebration of the 200th anniversary of the birth of Camilo Castelo Branco (1825-2025). The celebrations for the Bicentenary of the birth of the writer from S. Miguel de Seide will continue until 2026, with a wide range of activities.
