Dom Pedro's heart has gone to Brazil for independence celebrations. /Irmandade da Lapa
The heart of Brazil's first emperor, who helped the country break away from Portugal, has been flown back as part of celebrations to mark 200 years of independence.
The embalmed organ, which has been preserved in formaldehyde, of Dom Pedro l was transported by a Brazilian military plane from Porto in northern Portugal on Sunday night.
It has been sent to the Planalto Palace, in the Brazilian capital Brasilia, where it will receive full military honors before being taken to the foreign ministry at the Itamaraty Palace.
The heart will be on display until the actual day of the bicentenary on September 7, before returning home to Porto.
Dom Pedro – known as the 'Liberator' – was born into the Portuguese royal family in 1789 and then fled to their then colony of Brazil following the invasion of Napoleon's forces in 1807.
The heart is normally kept in the Portuguese city of Porto. /Porto.pt
While Dom Pedro's father King John Vl headed back to Portugal in 1821, his 22-year-old son stayed behind to rule over Brazil as his regent. But the young Brazil ruler then decided to stand up to the Portuguese parliament when it tried to reduce autonomy in its wealthiest colony.
Instead, Dom Pedro declared Brazil's independence on September 7, 1822.
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He briefly became King of Portugal before abdicating in favor of his eldest daughter Dona Maria ll, but he was then forced to return to Portugal in order to fight for his daughter's claim to the throne – and abdicated as emperor of Brazil in favor of his son Dom Pedro ll.
While his forces fighting for more liberalism in Portugal were eventually victorious, Dom Pedro l died shortly afterwards from tuberculosis aged just 35.
On his deathbed he asked for his heart to be removed and kept on the altar of Our Lady of Lapa church in Porto.
Porto Mayor Rui Moreira and Brazil foreign ministry's Alan Coelho de Sellos sign an agreement to send the heart to Brasilia. /Porto.pt
He is now remembered as a key figure in spreading liberal ideas in both Brazil and Portugal. On the decision to send Dom Pedro's heart to Brazil for the independence celebrations, Porto Mayor Rui Moreira said that it reflected the feeling that Brazilians have towards the former leader.
"Porto is a city of belonging and affection. Therefore it understands well the sentimental value of Dom Pedro's heart to the Brazilian people," he said, after the ceremonial signing of an agreement to send the organ.
Brazil foreign ministry's chief of protocol Alan Coelho de Sellos said that the heart will be treated as though "the emperor himself was returning to the country."
He said that "this heart, that although never stopping beating for his homeland, also beat very strongly for Brazil."