GUSTINE – Thousands of visitors will converge on Gustine this weekend for the 2008 Our Lady of Miracles Celebration, drawn by the common bonds of deep religious faith and a shared heritage which traces its roots back to the Azores Islands.

Annual festas are commonplace in the California communities with a strong Portuguese influence. None rivals the significance or the scale of the OLM Celebration, which is the largest event of its kind in the United States and is widely known nationwide and in Portugal.

Founded on a deep devotion and an abiding faith, the Celebration also honors the Portuguese culture shared by those who came from the Azores and settled in California in search of a better life.

“It is part of our culture, and it is unique to our culture,” 2008 OLM President John Nunes reflected recently. “There is so much devotion. The Celebration has a very deep, personal meaning.”

The Our Lady of Miracles Celebration has been an annual tradition in Gustine for more than 70 years; its traditions passed down through generations.

The Celebration started with a series of novenas which began last Friday, leading up to this weekend’s full schedule of activities.

Highlights of the weekend schedule include:

• The bodo de leite, or parade of cows, which will depart the Shrine of Our Lady of Miracles (former Our Lady of Miracles Church) at 10 a.m. Saturday. “Moses and the 10 Commandments” is the theme of the procession.

• A mass will be said at 6 p.m. Saturday at the Shrine of Our Lady of Miracles, followed by the candlelight procession in which the statue of Our Lady of Miracles is carried from the church to the chapel erected in Henry Miller Park. Many of the faithful will maintain an overnight vigil at the chapel, and a 4 a.m. mass will be held.

• The traditional parade of queens to mass will form at 9 a.m. Sunday. The mass will be celebrated at 10:30 a.m., with Rev. Dan Avila, Bishop John Steinbock and Rev. Leonard Trindade officiating. A procession with statues of saints, Our Lady of Miracles, OLM queens and visiting queens will follow mass, returning to Henry Miller Park.

• At midnight Sunday, a procession returns the statue of Our Lady of Miracles from the park to the shrine. Many say the procession, which is the ceremonial closing of the Celebration, is the most emotional and meaningful moment of the event.

• Bullfights will be held Monday evening at Bella Vista Park. Gates open at 3 p.m. The presentation of the queens and OLM Committee takes place at 7:30, followed by the bullfights at 8.

The weekend will also feature dances, an auction, traditional Portuguese singers, folklore performers and other festivities.

Taylor Nunes is the 2008 OLM senior queen. Her sidemaids are Alexa Nunes and Megan Nunes. All are the daughters of John and Florie Nunes.

Morgan Nunes is the junior queen. She is the daughter of John and Florie Nunes. Her sidemaids are Kimberly Azevedo, daughter of Joe and Maria Azevedo; and Marissa Soares, daughter of Germano and Jacinta Soares.

John and Florie Nunes are the 2008 OLM president. Joe and Fatima Mendonca are vice president, Walter and Nancy Costa are secretary, Durvalina and Eric Snoke are treasurer, Rev. Leonard Trindade is chairman and Johnny Morris is marshal.