The reissue of “No Bom Jesus do Monte” by Opera Omnia marks the beginning of a “publishing deluge” aimed at bringing Camilo Castelo Branco's work to all audiences. 

In 2025 and 2026, as part of the commemorations of the Bicentenary of the Birth of Camilo Castelo Branco, the network of partners coordinated by CCDR-Norte proposes “a publishing deluge that returns Camilo to the region, to the country and to the community of readers”. 

“What we're proposing is to put as many works on the streets - in squares, cafés, libraries, bookshops - so that no one stops stumbling across Camilo,” said Jorge Sobrado. The CCDR-NOrte vice-president for Culture and Heritage was speaking yesterday in Bom Jesusu do Monte, where the reissue of Camilo Castelo Branco's “No Bom Jesus do Monte” was presented, with the seal of the Opera Omnia publishing house, owned by José Manuel Costa. 

Jorge Sobrado explained that as part of this “publishing deluge” Opera Omnia will be publishing a total of 15 works by and about Camilo. 

“The re-edition of Camilo and the edition on Camilo are the beginning and end of the Bicentenary celebrations, but the program is not limited to reading and publishing. There will also be opera, cinema, music, theater, gastronomy and much more. Camilo will even be published in the Mirandese language,” said Jorge Sobrado, who also revealed that, as part of the applications for support for the non-professional artistic and cultural fabric, ‘there are also at least ten projects by independent structures or non-professional structures that relate to Camilo’.

At the session, Jorge Sobrado also signed protocols to join the Network of Partners promoting the celebrations of the Bicentenary of the Birth of Camilo Castelo Branco.

It should be remembered that on January 16, at the Casa de Camilo in São Miguel de Seide, a collaboration protocol was signed between 27 institutions from the North, with a view to establishing a partnership for these celebrations. These municipal and cultural institutions were officially joined yesterday by the municipalities of Cabeceiras de Basto (represented at the ceremony by the mayor, Francisco Alves), Baião and Maia, the Portuguese Catholic University, the Basto Training Center and the Árvore Cooperative.

Cândido Oliveira Martins, author of the introduction to the reissue of “No Bom Jesus do Monte”, stressed that “continuing to read Camilo and disseminating his work”, winning over new readers, is the best tribute that can be paid to the classic author. “The various cultural and scientific activities of these commemorations are very fair and very timely, given the greatness of Camilo's work,” said the Catholic University professor, adding that ”this re-edition, which is now beginning to be made, is one of the greatest cultural services we can render to Camilo Castelo Branco today, because his great work is a true monument to the Portuguese language, to Portuguese literature, because it is a unique literary creation, which represents a living repository of our culture and our identity.” 

Closing the session, Ricardo Rio praised the CCDR-NOrte initiative for being “the engine” of a network that has come together to celebrate Camilo, highlighting Jorge Sobrado in particular for the dynamism he has brought to the cultural sector. 

The mayor said that in Braga, as part of Descentrar, plays alluding to Camilo will be presented. He pointed out that the Braga Theatre Company will also be bringing to the stage some works linked to Camilo's estate and that a project is underway with Sond'art that will link Camilo's literature and music.