Where islands dream, and stories cross oceans.

From the volcanic heart of the Atlantic rise tales that have traveled through centuries—stories whispered around hearths, sung in work songs, carried in the wind across nine islands. Whispers of the Atlantic: Legends from the Azores gathers these timeless narratives and brings them into English, offering readers a journey through the enchanted archipelago where myth and memory intertwine. Giants, saints, sailors, and dreamers live side by side with the sea, the volcano, and the hydrangea. These are not only legends of the past; they are living echoes of a people who have always dwelled between fire and water, exile and belonging, homeland and diaspora.

Legend of Our Lady’s Little Footprint

In the early days of settlement, at the beginning of the 15th century, several people were passing by a stream known as Ribeira das Sete when they saw the Virgin Our Lady hovering over the water, saying: “Be attentive. Here nearby, in the sea, an image of me shall appear.” After saying this, Our Lady placed one foot on the basalt rock on one side of the stream, then vanished, leaving her footprint marked upon the stone.

When the event was reported throughout the village and surrounding areas, the people were stirred. Many, though skeptical, went to watch the sea to see if they might spot anything. They were greatly astonished when, a few days later, a wooden box washed ashore. Carried in by the sea, it came to rest in a tidal pool. When it was opened, an image was found—as had been foretold: a statue of Our Lady of Help (Nossa Senhora da Ajuda), carved in stone.

The statue was taken to the parish church, where the people planned to dedicate an altar to her. But the day after it was brought into the church, the image had disappeared. It was eventually found again at the site of Lapinha, where it had first been discovered, next to a small grotto carved into the rock. When a local woman heard what had happened, she said that on that night she had seen what looked like a lady passing from the church toward the Lapinha, carried by angels.

After this phenomenon occurred repeatedly, the people came to know where the statue wished to be found. One day, the priest and several men from the village decided to take the image once more to the church. But when they went to lift it, it suddenly became so heavy that it could not be moved. This is how the people finally understood that the Virgin wished to remain there, close to the sea. They then built for her the Chapel of Our Lady of Help (Ermida de Nossa Senhora da Ajuda), where they placed the statue.

Every year many faithful come to this chapel on pilgrimage to seek the Virgin’s miracles.

The Legend of Our Lady’s Little Footprint is an oral tradition from Terceira Island in the Azores. It is closely tied to the faith and religious devotion of the Azorean people.

• FURTADO-BRUM, Ângela. Açores, Lendas e Outras Histórias (2a. ed).. Ponta Delgada: Ribeiro & Caravana Editores, 1999. ISBN 972-97803-3-1 p. 150-151.
• MERELIM, Pedro de. As 18 paróquias de Angra – Sumário histórico. 1974. p. 213.

Vision Statement

To preserve, translate, and reimagine the legendary heritage of the Azores as a cultural bridge across oceans—connecting generations, honoring the voices of the ancestors, and ensuring that these stories remain vibrant for the future of the diaspora and the world.

---

Mission Statement

Through the Whispers of the Atlantic series, Bruma Publications and Filamentos are committed to:

• Collecting and translating Azorean folktales, myths, and legends with literary fidelity and poetic resonance.
• Sharing these stories with English-speaking readers in North America and beyond fosters cultural pride and cross-cultural dialogue.
• Preserving centuries-old oral traditions as living cultural treasures, not museum relics.
• Inspiring new generations of writers, artists, and dreamers to draw from Azorean heritage in building bridges across languages, cultures, and oceans