Embalmed Heart of Dom Pedro I, Brazil's First Emperor, Arrives in Country's Capital From Portugal

The embalmed heart of Brazil's first emperor, Dom Pedro I, arrived Monday in the country's capital Brasilia from Portugal.

According to BBC News, the embalmed heart will be received with military honors before being publicly displayed at the foreign ministry to mark 200 years of independence from Portugal.

The heart of Brazil's first emperor, which was being preserved in a flask filled with formaldehyde, was delivered through a Brazilian air force plane and was accompanied by the mayor of Porto, Rui Moreira.

Moreira said the embalmed heart will be returned to Portugal after being shown "in the admiration of the Brazilian people."

Brazil's foreign ministry's chief of protocol, Alan Coelho de Séllos, noted that the embalmed heart will be treated as if Pedro was still living amongst the people and was still the head of state.

Upon the arrival of Pedro, a cannon salute will be done with a guard of honor and full military honors. Séllos said the national anthem will be played, including the independence anthem composed by Dom Pedro I.

The foreign ministry chief noted that Brazil's first emperor was not only a leader but also "a good musician in his spare time."

Brazil's Dom Pedro I Embalmed Heart

Brazil's military is preparing to enact a four-cannon salute for the heart of the country's first emperor. His heart is enshrined in a church in Porto, Portugal, while the rest of his remains are in an independence monument in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Porto city officials agreed to return the emperor's heart to Brazil on loan, according to France 24 News. Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro will be holding an official ceremony for the embalmed heart on Tuesday. The embalmed heart will be on display for 17 days before its return to Portugal.

Dom Pedro I

Dom Pedro I was born in 1798 in Portugal's royal family. At the time, Portugal also ruled over Brazil. The family fled to the former Portuguese colony to evade Napoleon's invading army.

Dom Pedro's father, King John VI, returned to Portugal in 1821 and left him to rule Brazil as a regent. He was 22 years old at the time.

Pedro refused the demand of the Portuguese parliament to return to his home country and defied Portugal on its aims to keep Brazil as its colony.

According to Britannica, Pedro had surrounded himself with ministers advising independence. He issued Brazil's declaration of independence on September 7, 1822, when Portugal ordered him to return to Lisbon.

Three months later, he was crowned emperor. However, his deep interest in Portuguese affairs waned his popularity among his subjects.

In addition, he dissolved the Brazilian Assembly when it prepared a liberal constitution. Pedro had also exiled the radical leader José Bonifácio de Andrada e Silva. His military forces also failed in a war with Argentina over what is now Uruguay.

Strong opposition in Brazil's Parliament and a series of local uprisings induced him to step down in 1831 in favor of his then five-year-old son Dom Pedro II. Dom Pedro I was then prompted to return to Portugal.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

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