THE FISHERMEN (PENITENTS OF THE PARACLETE)

There are three fishermen, dressed in green, "caught" in their own net.

This is certainly an explicit reference to the Gospel of Saint Luke, which names only three fishermen (Simon Peter, James and Andrew) as the first disciples of Jesus.

The Gospels of Saint Matthew and Saint Mark mention four fishermen (Simon Peter, Andrew, James and John), while the fourth evangelist (Saint John) is silent as to their professions and states that these disciples encountered Jesus in transit, on the way to different localities.

The Gospels of Saint Matthew, Saint Mark and Saint Luke affirm that they were all fishermen on the Sea of Galilee and quote the words that Jesus is said to have addressed to them:

And he saith unto them, Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men (Matthew, IV, 19);

And Jesus said unto them, Come ye after me, and I will make you to become fishers of men (Mark, I, 17);

And Jesus said unto Simon, Fear not; from henceforth thou shalt catch men (Luke, V, 10).

The fourth fisherman (according to Saint Matthew and Saint Mark), supposing that he is Prince Henry the Navigator (Infante D. Henrique) (a most humble, prayerful Franciscan), is, par excellence, the fisher of men, the "Navigator" and promoter of the encounter and intermingling of them all in a biotype destined for a Time beyond time, under the Grace of the Paraclete.

Precisely what was sought by the liturgy of the Empire concelebrated by the Brotherhoods of the Divine Holy Spirit, countless in number, such as those of the Remédios, in Lisbon, Sesimbra, Tavira, etc., instituted and formed by fishermen and sailors.

It will be useful to recall that the golden age of such devotion coincided with the apogee of the Portuguese voyages of discovery.