Top 10 Churches of Lisbon: A Photo Review

When you think of beautiful testaments to the Catholic Faith of Europe, you are likely to think of the great and majestic churches of Paris, Chartres, Rome, or Florence. You may also think of the cathedrals and monasteries of Spain, the royal chapels and domed churches of Vienna, or the many churches that dot the Bavarian countryside in southern Germany. Yet, often not on the top of many lists, Portugal remains a largely Catholic country. Despite the atheistic government of the early 20th century which sought to repress the Catholic religion, the Virgin Mary appeared there in the town of Fatima in 1917 and worked a verifiable miracle seen by over 70,000 people. And despite the growing secularism of Europe, in which Portugal is not immune, the city of Lisbon remains home to many beautiful testaments of the Catholic and Apostolic Faith founded by our Lord Jesus Christ Himself.

I was privileged to visit Lisbon a few weeks ago and visit several dozen churches in Lisbon, in addition to Fatima.  Here are my Top 10 Churches in Lisbon to visit and pray in.

Jerónimos Monastery

Jerónimos Monastery is arguably the most beautiful church in all of Lisbon. It is one of the top ones and inside you can see the tomb of the great Portuguese explorer, Vasco de Gama. The Church includes beautiful side altars and is a UNESCO World Heritage site. It was formerly part of the Order of St. Jerome before it was secularized by state decree in 1833. Mass is still offered in the church. It is located on the western side of Lisbon is the one furthest away from the city center but it is an absolute must-see.

Church of Saint Anthony of Lisbon

While he is almost universally invoked under the name of St. Anthony of Padua, St. Anthony is to the people of Lisbon still one of their own. St. Anthony (1195 - 1231) was born on August 15, 1195, in Lisbon, Portugal to Martin and Mary Bulhom. He was given the name of Fernando. In fact, he lived in Lisbon most of his life. While his family wanted him to become a great nobleman, he followed the call of Christ and became a poor Franciscan priest taking the name of Anthony. He lived his life in holiness curing many. After his death, he was canonized 352 days after his death, the second fastest canonization in history, with over 50 documented miracles.

Pilgrims may visit the Church of St. Anthony, which is located right next to the main Cathedral (Se Cathedral) in the historic Alfama district of Lisbon. Make sure you see the side altar which contains the relics of Justina of Padua who was a 4th-century martyr. Finally, don't neglect to go down to the crypt to pray before the exact spot where St. Anthony was born.

St. Justina is Venice's second patron saint.  Who is the actual patron saint of Lisbon? It's actually not St. Anthony, although he is unofficially invoked as a patron. In fact, few Lisbonians know the city's actual patron. Who is the patron? For that, we will visit our next church...

Monastery of St. Vincent Outside the Walls

St. Vincent the Deacon is the actual patron saint of Lisbon. In addition to a nice statue of their patron, who is holding a ship, the symbol of the city and the country, not far from the Church of St. Anthony is the impressive Monastery of St. Vincent Outside the Walls. While the inside is less ornate than the Jerónimos Monastery, it is a large and impressive building dedicated to a saint we often hear little about, even though he is one of the illustrious 7 deacons of the Early Church.

Church of St. Madelena

After visiting some of the primary churches of Lisbon, we now turn to a much less visit church but which nevertheless is quite nice. I prayed the Rosary here and found it much less busy than many of the other well-known churches. The church is located at Largo Madalena 1, 1100-404 Lisboa, Portugal, though they are not open over the lunch hours so check the times in advance. It is not far from the Se Cathedral or the St. Anthony Cathedral, although it is on the opposite side from the Monastery of St. Vincent. If you are interested in visiting a church after the Church of St. Anthony, this is one of the closest options.

Nossa Senhora da Conceição Velha

Now, take a short 5-minute walk closer to the coast (towards Praça do Comércio) and you will arrive at a favorite of mine, the Church of Nossa Senhora da Conceição Velha. If you are looking to attend the Traditional Latin Mass during the week, this is the church you will want to know. They are the only Lisbon church to offer a Monday through Friday Tridentine Mass. They offer the Traditional Mass (as it was said for centuries and should still be said) at 7 PM Monday through Friday. On Saturdays, they offer this Mass at 11 AM.

Igreja de São Nicolau

A little further inland now, close to Praça da Figueira, is the Church of St. Nicholas. While I noticed a steady stream of people visiting to pray in Adoration, I saw plenty of tourists also coming in to admire the beautiful side altars. It is a shame that more people don't know about this true gem of a church. 

Church of Sao Roque

What was my personal favorite church? We've arrived at it - it is the Church of St. Rocco, one of the earliest Jesuit churches from the 16th centuries which contains some of the most beautiful baroque chapels. It was the most ornate of the churches in Lisbon. Inside you will find a chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Doctrine, a truly insightful title that I have not heard of before, as well as an impressive collection of relics of male saints on one side of the high altar and female saints on the other. The side altars and chapels are truly transcendent. The paintings behind the High Altar are similarly awe-inspiring. Leave yourself at least an hour to pray through the Church of Sao Roque.

Cardaes Convent

Not much further from St. Rocco is the Igreja do Convento dos Cardaes (Convent Cardaes). Unlike the other churches, this convent is only in limited use today and functions more like a museum. As a result, it does require payment of 5 Euros to visit. Just be aware that the hours are very limited - only 2:30 - 5:30 PM Monday through Saturday. However, inside you will find the rare example of a building that survived the cataclysmic earthquake of 1755. The chapel is beautiful as are the nuns quarters with beautiful artwork throughout including a display of the rare Agnus Dei Sacramentals.

Basilica of Our Lady of the Martyrs

Now, on to another truly must-see Basilica for its beauty - be sure to visit the Basilica of Our Lady of the Martyrs (Parroquia Dos Martires) which is the lesser visited Basilica of Lisbon. In my opinion, it was more beautiful than the more well-known Basilica da Estrela.

Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Encarnação

Located just feet away from the Basilica of Our Lady of the Martyrs is the small but still beautiful Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Encarnação. As a quieter church, it's a great one to spend some quality prayer time in.

Bonus #11: Basilica da Estrela

Last but not least, the Basilica da Estrela is a much larger structure than the Basilica of Our Lady of the Martyrs and features a winding staircase tower where you may for around 5 Euros climb to the top of the church for panoramic views. Truthfully, this was not the most impressive of the many viewpoints of Lisbon (my favorite was from the top of the Castle of St. George) so I'd skip a climb to the top. But a visit to the church is well in order.

Conclusion

In addition to these churches, Lisbon is home to an ancient castle, many wonderful restaurants, and scenic views. It is well worth the visit but if you do visit, please visit some of these wonderful testaments of the Catholic Faith and pray for the people of Portugal to return in greater numbers to regular attendance at Mass and reception of the Sacraments.

If you'd like to learn more, pick up a copy of Lonely Planet Portugal (Travel Guide)

All images are (c) A Catholic Life Blog. If you share any, include a link to this post and attribution. God bless!

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Virtual Tour: Basilica of St. Ambrose in Milan

The Basilica of St. Ambrose in Milan preserves the remains of St. Ambrose himself clothed in his pontifical vestments. Along with him are the vested remains of Ss. Gervasius and Protasius.

Inside the Church the relics of St. Marcellina, the sister of St. Ambrose, and St. Savina are also housed for veneration.

This was a beautiful place and inspiring since St. Ambrose was one of the most illustrious bishops of Milan who lived from 340 to 397 AD. He is the patron saint of Milan. Definitely worth visiting but be aware that the hours of entry are a little limited.

Adoration Chapel with the Blessed Sacrament

St. Marcellina, the sister of St. Ambrose

St. Savina

St. Ambrose alongside Ss. Gervasius and Protasius

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Eucharistic Miracle of Turin (1453)

A few weeks ago I was able to visit the Corpus Domini Basilica in Turin Italy, which was built on the site of the Eucharistic Miracle of Turin, which occurred in 1453.  The following account is from The Real Presence Association. I wish this remarkable story was more widely known.

The Story:

Inside the Corpus Domini Basilica in Turin, there is an iron railing that closes in the place where, in 1453, the first Eucharistic miracle of Turin occurred. An inscription inside the railing describes the miracle: “Here the she-mule that was carrying the Divine Body fell prostrate; here the Sacred Host was miraculously freed from the bag containing the Sacred Species and rose high; here came gently down among the suppliant hands of the people of Turin; here then, the place made holy by the miracle. Remembering, pray on your knees. (June 6, 1453)”. 

In the Alta Val Susa, close to Exilles, the army of René D'Angiò met the army of the duke Ludovic of Savoy. Here the soldiers indulged in plundering the town and some of them entered the church. One of them forced open the little door of the tabernacle and stole the monstrance with the consecrated Host. He wrapped up all that he had stolen in a bag and headed for Turin on a mule. On the main plaza close to St. Sylvester’s Church (now the Holy Spirit Church, where later the Church of Corpus Domini was built), the she-mule stumbled and fell. Then suddenly the bag fell open and the monstrance with the consecrated Host rose over the surrounding houses while the people were filled with wonder. Among those present there was also Don Bartholomew Coccolo. He ran with this news to the Bishop, Ludovic of the Romagnano’s Marquises. The Bishop, accompanied by a cortege of people and clergy, went to the plaza, prostrated himself in adoration and prayed with the words of the Emmaus disciples, “Stay with us, Lord”. Meanwhile a new miracle had happened; the monstrance had fallen on the ground, leaving the consecrated Host free and shining as a second sun. The Bishop who was holding a chalice in his hands lifted it up high, and the consecrated Host slowly started coming down and settled in the chalice.  

The devotion for the miracle of 1453 was at once adopted by the town that first promoted the building of an aedicule on the place of the miracle, and then soon substituted by the church dedicated to the Corpus Domini. But the most significant display of this is expressed by the celebrations organized in occasion of the centenaries and fiftieth anniversaries (1653, 1703, 1853, and partially 1803). The documents that describe the miracles are many. The most ancient are the three Capitulary Acts of 1454, 1455 and 1456, and some writings contemporary of the Turin Municipality. In 1853 the Blessed Pope Pius IX solemnly celebrated the fourth centenary of the miracle. In this celebration Saint John Bosco and Don Rua participated. Furthermore, Pius IX on this occasion approved the Office and the Mass Proper of the miracle for the Turin archdiocese. In 1928 Pius XI raised the Church of Corpus Domini to the dignity of minor basilica. In the XV century the Holy See gave the order to consume the Host of the miracle, “to not oblige God to make the miracle an eternal miracle by keeping always incorrupt, as they had being doing, those very same Eucharistic species”.

The Basilica in Photos:

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