Chapel of Nossa Senhora da Lapa

About

The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Lapa and Residence of the Society of Jesus is a Christian sanctuary in the civil parish of Quintela, municipality of Sernancelhe of northern Portugal. The historical residence of the Society of Jesus, this site was transformed to support pilgrims to the site, and is marked by a chapel delineated by Corinthian columns, supporting plinths surmounted by simple frieze and cornice. The interior was decorated in azulejo tile of polychromatic vegetal design, with triumphal arch dividing the sanctuary from the college, identifiable by the large granite rock in its interior, where legend says the image of the Virgin Mary was first discovered. In this space is the oratory of Senhora das Dores ('Our Lady of Sorrows') with its nativity by António Ferreira (particularly visible in the juxtaposition of various representations). In the junction between presbytery and sacristy is the double-arched belfry. Also remarkable and unique for this site, and other buildings owned by the Society of Jesus, is the walkway that connects the residences of the complex with the church. From the architects of the sanctuary, the property had 126 palmos, which was equal to 22 centimetres...

In the 9th century, the nuns who abandoned the Convent of Sismeiro, destroyed in 982 by Almansor, transported with them a small image of Nossa Senhora da Lapa ('Our Lady of the Rock', roughly translated), which they hid in Quintela. It was only in 1498, that the first cult to Senhora da Lapa was started, after the image was discovered in the rocks of the village, by a mute child named Joana. The construction of an altar, was done through the initiative of the abbey of São Paio, in the parish of Vila da Rua, who became the first guardian, collecting alms from the parishioners for the construction of a temple. The faithful began to visit, in pilgrimage, the place with the image was found during the first years of the 16th century.

By the first half of the 16th century, owing to a dispute between the bishop of Lamego and the king over the region of Senancelhe, the patron of the sanctuary and parish of Rua became independent. The abbey began to select his successor and renounced his role in the presence of Pope Julius III. His successor, Fernão Pires, nominated Father Bartolomeu Madureira, who was unpopular with the local community. Between 1555 and 1559, there was a demand from Rome that the Portuguese Crown should promote the rights of the Vatican in Senancelhe. Consequently, King Sebastian donates Rua and church annexes to the Society of Jesus, from the College of Coimbra. On 17 September 1575, Pope Gregory XIII sanctioned the transfer, and by December the College of Coimbra nominated their first vicar to Rua, Father Pedro Rodrigues. Within the same year, the construction of the first dependencies for the priests, alongside the church (along the north of the hermitage ) and another one-storey structure to the west, began being constructed.

In 1586, the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament ( Portuguese : Capela do Santíssimo ) was founded in the old sacristy by local patrons that included the first Baron of Mossâmedes, master of the Morgadia of Sernancelhe and Counts of Lapa, Pedro de Soveral (nobleman in the house of the King), from the Order of Christ.

In 1610, a visitor, Father João Álvares, recommended the construction of an actual sanctuary, which was begun, and would actually be the center of the devotion to Nossa Senhora da Lapa in Portugal, India and Brazil, through missionaries who travelled from this location. The ordered construction included iron grades, a portable altar to the north, remodelling of the dependencies and construction of a house for the treasurer, while expanding the religious buildings, courtyard and purchasing guesthouses for visitors. In addition, there was the authorization to cover the altar in a wood structure, and construct a gilded altar dedicated to the Baby Jesus, flanked by images of Saints Ignatius and Francis Xavier. A triumphal arch and extension to the church body also progressed, with the respective axial and transversal porticos in the south, along with a third doorway to access the sacristy and guesthouse. To the north, the Casa dos Pesos was constructed, with collateral retables, as well as a pulpit in front of the Chaepl of Santo Cristo.

In 1626, a cross was constructed in Trancoso.

The principal building project was completed in 1635, and included an annex Casas de Novenas, to support pilgrims that wished to stay overnight, and the Estalagem das Varandas, a two-storey building for more affluent pilgrims. To the south, they erected tents (later substituted by nine vaulted shops), and in the courtyard 30 quarters eventually popped-up, housing 100 people. The walls of the church, meanwhile, were painted by Manuel Henriques, a cleric in the Society of Jesus, consisting of 24 panels that also depicted the pastoral life of Joan, and the miracles of the Virgin Mary. It was likely that at about the same time the paintings in the sacristy were painted at about the same time.

In 1639 there was a reference to two silver-plate lamps on the site.

On 13 July 1654, the municipal council donated to the Jesuits the uncultivated lands around the church to construct their college, which were immediately encircled by small wall until the presbytery.

During the 1670s, the Jesuits began accumulating more benefits and gifts: in 1671, Manuel Rodrigues Ramos and his wife (of Arneirós) gifted a golden chair; in September 1676, the bishop João de Melo, gave the Jesuits a silver-plated crown, encircled with 20 precious stones; in 1677, King Pedro II also donated a silver crown studded in diamonds; the clergy of the realm also donated, in 1678, a simple silver crown; on 3 September 1679, there was a donation of red canopy, flaked with silver, by the descendants of Soutelo; in August 1682, Isabel Proença, of Penamacor, donated an amber pear covered in flakes of gold and painted in green and white, to the Baby Jesus; another member of the congregation donated 17 reliquaries to the sanctuary; and, on 22 September, António Fernandes Matos sent from Pernambuco (in Brazil) 50$000 réis.

Father António Cordeiro, around 1682, petitioned the provincial branch of the Society, to allow the construction of a residence, and in 1682, a formal plan was sent to Rome for approval. On 9 September 1684, the general council authorized the construction of a building for three to four residents, with eight to ten cubicles, to shelter priests that passed through Bragança, in addition to two spaces for the bishop's living quarters, when he annually visited the sanctuary. The cornerstone was laid on 28 July 1685 for the residence, alongside the sanctuary, in order to support the Jesuits whom assisted the Easter celebrations (which was connected to the Church by a catwalk). In 1703, Father Cordeiro returned to Lapa, in order to assist the construction of the residence and new sacristy. By 1714, the college was completed, and classes in Latin and Morals were begun, under Chaplin João Marques Luseiro.

The gifts continued to pour into the church: at the end of the 17th century, King Pedro II, offered a silver crown in the name of the House of Braganza ; during the 18th century, King John V donated religious equipment to the chapel; Father Manuel Rodrigues, who died in Castro Daire, left behind 6$000 réis in the 18th century; between 1720 and 1730, votive paintings were completed in the altar of the sacristy; and, in October 1752, António da Fonseca Osório donate eight pieces of coin, equal to 1$500 réis each.

The chapel was remodeled in 1732, from an inscription on the tomb.

On 18 July 1740, King John V elevated the settlement to the status of vila ( town ).

In 1759, the Jesuits abandoned the sanctuary, and the monarch nominated a treasurer to organize and catalogue the contents of the religious buildings and property of the clerics. Ultimately, the Crown took over the lands occupied and rented by the Jesuits. On 4 July 1774, the property of the residence, college of Lamego and the Monastery of Santa Maria de Cárquere were taken over, and João Pinheiro became the caretaker of the financial resources of the institutions. At the same time, the pious legacies, such as perpetual masses, were abolished by the state, underscoring the financial crisis of the time. By the end of the 18th century, the grand sanctuary, was limited to two altars: one dedicated to Saint Joseph and the other to Nossa Senhora da Soledade ('Our Lady of Solitude').

On 20 December 1793, Queen Maria I donated the sanctuary, its small courtyard, shops and surrounding buildings to the Bishop of Lamego. The bishop immediately ordered Joaquim Santa Rosa de Viterbo, from the Convent of Santo Cristo da Fraga to reinstate classes at the old College, which lasted until 1796, when, for the lack of students, the classes were limited to a basic curriculum.

During the 1st half of the 19th century, the nativity was constructed (likely by local clerics).

On 5 February 1805, José de Almeida Vasconcelos Soveral was named the first Viscount of Lapa, which was later transferred to his brother, Manuel de Almeida de Soveral Carvalho e Vasconcelos on 25 February 1813. On 21 August 1822, the first count of Lapa, Manuel de Almeida Vasconcelos de Soveral de Carvalho de Maia Soares de Albergaria was first invested in his title.

In 1834, the Government of Portugal transferred the sanctuary, definitively, to the senate of Caria, followed ten years later (1844), with the return of the Church's possessions to the Bishopric of Lamego, by the Court of the Exchequer. This return had the effect of reigniting donatives and decoration in the sanctuary: in 1852, the painter Carlos Augusto Massa, from Cujó, began work on several works, in 1879, the retables were re-gilded (at a cost of 374$520 réis); issues with the azulejos, which were in deteriorating conditions, were addressed; and, in 1881, a new image of Saint Anthony was purchased.

On 22 July 1884, João de Almeida de Araújo was named by bishop António da Trindade, to act as primary instructor at the college. By 23 October 1892, the college was reused in order to inaugurate a new seminary, by the bishop.