Tiradentes Day honors Joaquim José da Silva Xavier, known as Tiradentes, a national hero of Brazil's independence movement. He led the Inconfidência Mineira, an 18th-century rebellion against Portuguese colonial rule in Minas Gerais. Though the uprising failed and Tiradentes was executed in 1792, his courage and sacrifice became symbols of freedom and national identity.

When is Tiradentes Day?

Tiradentes Day in Brazil is celebrated on April 21 each year.

The following is the list of Tiradentes Day from 2020 to 2049.

The History of Tiradentes Day?

Born in Minas Gerais, then part of colonial Brazil under Portuguese rule, Tiradentes worked as a dentist, miner, and member of the colonial militia. He lived during a time when the Portuguese crown imposed heavy taxes on the gold-rich region, particularly through the oppressive derrama system, which allowed officials to confiscate unpaid gold taxes from local residents. These harsh economic conditions, coupled with Enlightenment ideas spreading from Europe and the American Revolution, inspired Tiradentes and others to dream of independence.

In the 1780s, Tiradentes joined a group of intellectuals, military officers and landowners in what became known as the Inconfidência Mineira, a secret movement seeking to overthrow Portuguese control and establish an independent republic in Minas Gerais. Their plan included adopting a flag bearing the Latin motto "Freedom, even if late", which later became the motto of the state of Minas Gerais.

However, the plot was betrayed to the Portuguese authorities before it could be carried out. Tiradentes was arrested in 1789 and imprisoned in Rio de Janeiro for nearly three years. While many of his co-conspirators were pardoned or exiled, Tiradentes took full responsibility for the revolt.

On April 21, 1792, Tiradentes was executed by hanging in Rio de Janeiro. His body was dismembered, and his remains were displayed publicly as a warning to others. Far from silencing the call for freedom, his death turned him into a martyr. Over time, he came to symbolize courage, patriotism and the struggle for independence.

In the decades that followed, Tiradentes' image was rehabilitated and celebrated, especially during Brazil's move toward independence in 1822 and the establishment of the Republic in 1889. The new republican government embraced Tiradentes as a national hero, portraying him as a Christ-like figure of sacrifice and moral conviction.

In 1890, the Provisional Republican Government officially declared April 21 a national holiday to commemorate his execution and immortalize his contribution to Brazil's national identity. Today, Tiradentes Day is marked with official ceremonies, military parades, and public tributes throughout Brazil.