church of Saragossa and martyred in Valencia on the January 22nd, 304. According to legend, his body was cast amongst wild animals but was protected by ravens from being devoured. It was then attached to a millstone and thrown into the sea. The body miraculously floated ashore and was recovered by his followers. He remained buried for 400 years in a grave outside the city walls, which became a site of pilgrimage.” It’s after this that the connection with the Cape becomes clear. In 779 a ship transported the saint’s body to the The Sacred Promontory as the Cape was known at this time. Here it lay for another 400 years underneath a stone in a chapel named the Church of the Ravens, as the birds were ever present. The new tomb became a popular destination for pilgrims too. In 1173, Afonso, the first King of Portugal, wanted to be in on the act, and the body was exhumed in the Algarve, which at the time was under Moorish rule, transported to Lisbon by ship and buried in the cathedral. Interestingly enough, the coat of arms of Lisbon, still in use today, depicts the ship followed by two ravens. Riki points out that the present lighthouse stands on the exact site of the old monastery church, close to the spot where St Vincent’s remains were found in the 12th century. A fascinating history that is little known. Having produced one more book about a present day pilgrimage to the Cape, Riki was ready to tackle the statue project. Being interested in art, he had already designed a series of simple mini statues using nails and natural materials. He was able to use this experience to design a statue that would symbolically represent the saint. “After my seventh prototype, I was satisfied with the result,” he laughs. Armed with 3D prototypes of the statue, he was ready to do battle. Knowing full well that no single authority would give the green light for the project, he proceeded to elicit letters of support instead. The first port of call was the bishop of the Algarve. “He really liked the statue and suggested some minor modifications which I made straight away,” Riki says. A letter of
support from the Diocese of the Algarve followed. After months of sending emails and letters to local councils and organisations, attending meetings which either proved very productive or totally futile, Riki had the support of the Regional Ministry of Culture and the Councils of Vila do Bispo and Sagres. Surprisingly enough, the Algarve Tourist Board did not show interest at any stage. The final hurdle was obtaining permission from the Portuguese Navy, responsible for the area around the lighthouse. “I had a meeting in Lisbon with the Chief of all Portuguese Lighthouses who secured the permission from the Navy I had long waited for,” Riki says,” This was in June and the plan was to have the statue in place for St Vincent’s Day on the following January 22nd.” A period of intense activity ensued. A specialist company in Finland produced the three metre high statue, of shiny marine steel, weighing 244 kg. Swedish and Japanese engineers worked out the resistance of the material in accordance with the wind conditions on the Cape. The stone base, symbolising the millstone tied around St Vincent’s head, was procured from Monchique “The statue is pure and simple in a modern way. I think nonfigurative art like this gives scope for people’s imagination and creativity,” Riki maintains. Despite the race against time, the statue was duly transported from Finland and erected by the engineers of the municipality of Vila do Bispo in time for the inauguration on January 22nd , 2017. And what a grand affair it was. After the traditional procession where the relic of the Saint’s thumb is paraded in a gilded cask through the streets of Vila do Bispo, a large crowd gathered at the Cape. Official representatives of the lighthouse and the Navy dressed in their finest regalia, mingled with local residents and foreign visitors. Adelino Soares, the President of the Vila do Bispo made a speech expressing his satisfaction that the Cape now had a statue in honour of the Saint. After unveiling the plaque, the statue was blessed by Manuel Quintas, the Bishop of the Algarve.
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Left to right: At the inauguration; Riki and the Bishop of the the Algarve; The statue