Death of the “lady with carnations”, Celeste Caeiro, symbol of the 1974 revolution in Portugal

INTERNATIONAL – He is a figure who marked the history of Portugal. Celeste Caeiro, nicknamed the “lady of carnations”died this Friday, November 15 at the age of 91, her family learned from Agence France Presse. She was known for her symbolic gesture on April 25, 1974, when she offered red and white carnations to soldiers during the Revolution, an act that became a symbol of peace.

On April 25, Celeste Caeiro participated in the celebrations of the fiftieth anniversary of the 1974 coup d’état, which opened the way to democracy in Portugal and the independence of its colonies in Africa. Born on May 2, 1933 into a modest family in Lisbon, her life changed on the morning of April 25, 1974, when she went to the restaurant where she worked, in the center of the Portuguese capital.

A coincidence that made history

Faced with current political events, his boss decided not to open the establishment and asked his employees to go home, offering to take with them the red and white carnations which were to be distributed to customers to celebrate the first restaurant anniversary.

Before returning home, Celeste had distributed carnations to the soldiers and passers-by she passed, who had placed them on the barrels of rifles or in their buttonholes. A stroke of history, the red carnation has thus established itself as the symbol of this bloodless coup d’état, led by young officers to overthrow the fascist dictatorship in place since 1926.

“Portugal says goodbye to the woman who placed the carnations during the revolution. In this hour of mourning, I would like to express my gratitude to Celeste Caeiro”reacted on X this Friday the Prime Minister of Portugal, Luís Montenegro. Celeste Caeiro, wife “with strong convictions (…) will remain in everyone’s memory”also reacted in a press release the Communist Party, of which she was an activist.

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