The Santos Passos Church (), officially called Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Consolação e dos Santos Passos and sometimes referred to as Igreja de São Gualter, is an 18th-century Portuguese baroque Catholic church located at the

Campo da Feira The Largo da República do Brasil, popularly known as Campo da Feira, is the largest and one of the most important squares in Guimarães, Portugal. It has many of the city's landmarks such as the Santos Passos Church, the S. Francisco Comercial ...

Guimarães Guimarães () is a city and municipality located in northern Portugal, in the district of Braga. Its historic town centre has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2001, in recognition for being an "exceptionally well-preserved ...

, Portugal. Constructed to replace the dilapidated chapel which had previously occupied the same site, the Santos Passos Church and its five oratories, which depict the

Passion of Jesus The Passion (from Latin , "to suffer, bear, endure") is the short final period before the death of Jesus, described in the four canonical gospels. It is commemorated in Christianity every year during Holy Week. The ''Passion'' may include, amo ...

, were designated a protected landmark by the Portuguese government in 1993. It also falls within the

Historic Centre of Guimarães Historic Centre of Guimarães is an urban space of the city of Guimarães, in Portugal, tracing back to medieval age covering an area of 16 hectares and retaining many buildings from the medieval age until 19th century. Since 2001, it is decla ...

, a

UNESCO World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...

since 2001. The church plays a significant role in many of the festivities and religious celebrations of Guimarães.

Description

Structure

The church is located above sea level and has a longitudinal

floor plan In architecture and building engineering, a floor plan is a technical drawing to scale, showing a view from above, of the relationships between rooms, spaces, traffic patterns, and other physical features at one level of a structure. Dimensio ...

comprising a single

nave The nave () is the central part of a church, stretching from the (normally western) main entrance or rear wall, to the transepts, or in a church without transepts, to the chancel. When a church contains side aisles, as in a basilica-type ...

with concave angles, a rectangular

chancel In church architecture, the chancel is the space around the altar, including the Choir (architecture), choir and the sanctuary (sometimes called the presbytery), at the liturgical east end of a traditional Christian church building. It may termi ...

and is set in a northeast-southeast direction. The church features distinct roof styles for its various sections, the nave and chancel are topped with

gable roof A gable roof is a roof consisting of two sections whose upper horizontal edges meet to form its ridge. The most common roof shape in cold or temperate climates, it is constructed of rafters, roof trusses or purlins. The pitch of a gable roof c ...

s, which provide a traditional peaked appearance, while the side chapel and

sacristy A sacristy, also known as a vestry or preparation room, is a room in Christianity, Christian churches for the keeping of vestments (such as the alb and chasuble) and other church furnishings, sacred vessels, and parish records. The sacristy is us ...

are covered with hipped roofs. Adding to the body of the church, a side chapel and

are located to the southwest. Facing northeast, the undulating main

façade A façade or facade (; ) is generally the front part or exterior of a building. It is a loanword from the French language, French (), which means "frontage" or "face". In architecture, the façade of a building is often the most important asp ...

is convex and covered in blue and white

azulejos (, ; from the Arabic ) is a form of Portuguese and Spanish painted tin-glazed ceramic tilework. ''Azulejos'' are found on the interior and exterior of churches, palaces, ordinary houses, schools, and nowadays, restaurants, bars and even railwa ...

. The curves do not impact the internal spatiality of the church, since the division between the vestibule and the nave is very sharp. Its façade also contains a

portal Portal may refer to: Arts and entertainment Gaming * ''Portal'' (series), a series of video games developed by Valve ** ''Portal'' (video game), a 2007 video game, the first in the series ** '' Portal 2'', the 2011 sequel ** '' Portal Stori ...

, a

bay window A bay window is a window space projecting outward from the main walls of a building and forming a bay in a room. A bow window is a form of bay with a curve rather than angular facets; an oriel window is a bay window that does not touch the g ...

and two narrow windows crowned by a tympanum with a

clock A clock or chronometer is a device that measures and displays time. The clock is one of the oldest Invention, human inventions, meeting the need to measure intervals of time shorter than the natural units such as the day, the lunar month, a ...

, topped by a cross and flanked by two

statues A statue is a free-standing sculpture in which the realistic, full-length figures of persons or animals are carved or cast in a durable material such as wood, metal or stone. Typical statues are life-sized or close to life-size. A sculpture ...

on each side. On a slightly recessed level, there are two slender bell towers topped by pyramidal

corbels In architecture, a corbel is a structural piece of stone, wood or metal keyed into and projecting from a wall to carry a bearing weight, a type of bracket. A corbel is a solid piece of material in the wall, whereas a console is a piece applie ...

. It stands on a terrace, served by a staircase with several flights and a

balustrade A baluster () is an upright support, often a vertical moulded shaft, square, or lathe-turned form found in stairways, parapets, and other architectural features. In furniture construction it is known as a spindle. Common materials used in its ...

with

pinnacles A pinnacle is an architectural element originally forming the cap or crown of a buttress or small turret, but afterwards used on parapets at the corners of towers and in many other situations. The pinnacle looks like a small spire. It was mainly ...

, flanked by pedestals with statues. Inside, the church is filled with fourteen

mother-of-pearl Nacre ( , ), also known as mother-of-pearl, is an organicinorganic composite material produced by some molluscs as an inner shell layer. It is also the material of which pearls are composed. It is strong, resilient, and iridescent. Nacre is ...

framed paintings depicting the

Way of the Cross The Stations of the Cross or the Way of the Cross, also known as the Way of Sorrows or the , are a series of fourteen images depicting Jesus Christ on the day of his crucifixion and accompanying prayers, These stations are derived from the im ...

polychrome Polychrome is the "practice of decorating architectural elements, sculpture, etc., in a variety of colors." The term is used to refer to certain styles of architecture, pottery, or sculpture in multiple colors. When looking at artworks and ...

18th century French

engravings Engraving is the practice of incising a design on a hard, usually flat surface by cutting grooves into it with a burin. The result may be a decorated object in itself, as when silver, gold, steel, or glass are engraved, or may provide an inta ...

. There is also a processional flag painted by the Swiss artist . The

altarpiece An altarpiece is a painting or sculpture, including relief, of religious subject matter made for placing at the back of or behind the altar of a Christian church. Though most commonly used for a single work of art such as a painting or sculpture, ...

and the dais were made by the master carver José António da Cunha. The two sculptures flanking the main staircase represent

James the Great James the Great ( Koinē Greek: Ἰάκωβος, romanized: ''Iákōbos''; Aramaic: ܝܥܩܘܒ, romanized: ''Yaʿqōḇ''; died AD 44) was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus. According to the New Testament, he was the second of the apostles t ...

and

Saint Bartholomew Bartholomew was one of the twelve apostles of Jesus according to the New Testament. Most scholars today identify Bartholomew as Nathanael, who appears in the Gospel of John (1:45–51; cf. 21:2). New Testament references The name ''Bartholomew ...

. It was described by architectural specialist Joaquim Jaime Ferreira-Alves as being a church with "a

with concave curves at the corners and a slight convex curve on the façade" with "serious, simple and plain

ornaments An ornament is something used for decoration. Ornament may also refer to: Decoration *Ornament (art), any purely decorative element in architecture and the decorative arts *Ornamental turning *Biological ornament, a characteristic of animals tha ...

Gardens

In front of the church are three rectangular gardens filled with flowers and bushes that are changed periodically to match the current season. These gardens are surrounded by

Portuguese pavement Portuguese pavement, known in Portuguese as or simply (or in Brazil), is a traditional-style pavement used for many pedestrian areas in Portugal. It consists of small pieces of stone arranged in a pattern or image, like a mosaic. It can also ...

and subsequently by roads. Forty days before Easter, purple banners are put in the border of the gardens to mark the

Lent Lent (, 'Fortieth') is the solemn Christianity, Christian religious moveable feast#Lent, observance in the liturgical year in preparation for Easter. It echoes the 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the desert and enduring Temptation of Christ, t ...

, once Easter is over, they are removed. The garden farthest from the church, previously a roundabout, features a stone

fountain A fountain, from the Latin "fons" ( genitive "fontis"), meaning source or spring, is a decorative reservoir used for discharging water. It is also a structure that jets water into the air for a decorative or dramatic effect. Fountains were o ...

at its front and the garden closest to the church features four granite statues, one at each corner, with the two statues farthest from the church having small fountains incorporated in their pedestal. These statues were previously located next to the church, on the columns of the staircase leading up to it. The statues represent the four saints who wrote the epistles,

St. Paul Paul, also named Saul of Tarsus, commonly known as Paul the Apostle and Saint Paul, was a Christian apostle ( AD) who spread the teachings of Jesus in the first-century world. For his contributions towards the New Testament, he is generally ...

, St. Peter, St. James and

St. Jude Jude the Apostle (Ancient Greek: Ἰούδας Ἰακώβου translit. Ioúdas Iakóbou Syriac/Aramaic: ܝܗܘܕܐ translit. Yahwada) was one of the Twelve Apostles of Jesus according to the New Testament. He is generally identified as Tha ...

. The gardens, officially called ''Jardins do Largo da República do Brasil'', received the national award for good practices in local administration in 2008.

Oratories

The Oratories, also known as Passos, are small temples that form a

, depicting the steps of the

. Within these structures, life-size figures sculpted from

wood vividly portray scenes from the Passion. All of the Oratories are constructed using granite and are situated throughout the

as part of the Santos Passos Church complex. Each oratory is equipped with large wooden exterior shutters allowing them to be securely closed when necessary, as well as a small

sign A sign is an object, quality, event, or entity whose presence or occurrence indicates the probable presence or occurrence of something else. A natural sign bears a causal relation to its object—for instance, thunder is a sign of storm, or me ...

with info about the respective oratory. Originally, there was a total of seven different oratories; however, due to the growth of the city, some had to be moved or outright destroyed. Nowadays, five Oratories remain: two at the

, one at the Misericórdia Square, one on Santa Maria Street and one at the Carmo Square.

Materials

The church's exterior walls are constructed from granite

masonry Masonry is the craft of building a structure with brick, stone, or similar material, including mortar plastering which are often laid in, bound, and pasted together by mortar (masonry), mortar. The term ''masonry'' can also refer to the buildin ...

and coated with fine

sand Sand is a granular material composed of finely divided mineral particles. Sand has various compositions but is usually defined by its grain size. Sand grains are smaller than gravel and coarser than silt. Sand can also refer to a textural ...

on both the exterior and interior surfaces. Similarly, the ceilings in the

and

are also

plaster Plaster is a building material used for the protective or decorative coating of walls and ceilings and for moulding and casting decorative elements. In English, "plaster" usually means a material used for the interiors of buildings, while "re ...

ed. The main façade is adorned with

, while the bell towers are constructed using exposed granite masonry. Tiled paneling decorates the nave, and both the floor of the nave and the chancel are covered in ceramic

mosaic A mosaic () is a pattern or image made of small regular or irregular pieces of colored stone, glass or ceramic, held in place by plaster/Mortar (masonry), mortar, and covering a surface. Mosaics are often used as floor and wall decoration, and ...

with granite accents. The

is clad in

oilcloth Oilcloth, also known as enameled cloth or American cloth, is close-woven cotton duck or linen cloth with a coating of boiled linseed oil to make it waterproof. Manufacture Boiled linseed oil was prepared by a long boiling of linseed oil with me ...

and its ceiling is finished in

stucco Stucco or render is a construction material made of aggregates, a binder, and water. Stucco is applied wet and hardens to a very dense solid. It is used as a decorative coating for walls and ceilings, exterior walls, and as a sculptural and ...

. The celling also has a wooden structure covered in clay tiles. The main

staircase A stairwell or stair room is a room in a building where a stair is located, and is used to connect walkways between floors so that one can move in height. Collectively, a set of stairs and a stairwell is referred to as a staircase or stairway ...

and

are made of granite, and so are the four statues on top of the tympanum.

History

Predecessors

The site on which the Santos Passos Church now stands was originally occupied by a hermitage church made to honor

Our Lady of Consolation Our Lady of Consolation or Mary, Consolatress of the Afflicted (Latin: ) is a Roman Catholic Titles of Mary, title of the Blessed Virgin Mary venerated in the Catholic Church. History The origin of this invocation is derived from the August ...

, built in March 1576. It was later replaced by a small chapel preceded by a large

porch A porch (; , ) is a room or gallery located in front of an entrance to a building. A porch is placed in front of the façade of a building it commands, and forms a low front. Alternatively, it may be a vestibule (architecture), vestibule (a s ...

with stone seats built in 1594 by order of Duarte Sodré. By the early 18th century, the chapel was

ruined Ruins () are the remains of a civilization's architecture. The term refers to formerly intact structures that have fallen into a state of partial or total disrepair over time due to a variety of factors, such as lack of maintenance, deliberate ...

and a

safety hazard A hazard is a potential source of harm. Substances, events, or circumstances can constitute hazards when their nature would potentially allow them to cause damage to health, life, property, or any other interest of value. The probability of that ...

. The Irmandade dos Santos Passos (), a

fraternal organization A fraternity (; whence, " brotherhood") or fraternal organization is an organization, society, club or fraternal order traditionally of men but also women associated together for various religious or secular aims. Fraternity in the Western conce ...

founded on 13 November 1594 and the owner of the chapel, ordered the construction of a "bigger and richer building" on top of the decayed structure. Igreja dos Santos Passos cerca de 1864

In the first quarter of the 1700s, that small chapel was demolished and another, larger chapel was built in its place; however, the work remained half-finished since the construction took longer and was more difficult than originally thought. Due to the construction problems, the frontispiece's construction never began; nevertheless, the image of

was placed on the high altar and customary worship was reinstated. In 1727, seven Oratories were constructed across the city by the Irmandade'';'' only five remain to this day. Years later, the Irmandade recognised the many inconveniences and lack of respect that arose from the incomplete chapel; in 1767, a wall was constructed to close it off probably to prevent vandalism and the structure's collapse. The chapel did not remain abandoned for long, as the Irmandade decided that they would either reconstruct the building or demolish it and begin the construction of a completely new structure.

Construction

Body and apse

The Irmandade chose to start the construction of a new, larger church instead of rebuilding and expanding the previous incomplete chapel and the Galician Pedro Lourenço later bought the construction rights at an

auction An auction is usually a process of Trade, buying and selling Good (economics), goods or Service (economics), services by offering them up for Bidding, bids, taking bids, and then selling the item to the highest bidder or buying the item from th ...

. In 1769, the

of the church was made by the renowned architect André Soares. André Soares drew inspiration from one of his previous projects, the , constructed some years earlier in

Arcos de Valdevez Arcos de Valdevez () is a concelho, municipality along the northern frontier of Portugal and Galicia (Spain), Galicia (Spain). The population in 2011 was 22,847, The Santos Passos Church was his last work, as he died that same year. André Soares' death may have prevented him from designing the interior as well, although the plan followed seems to have respected the architect's project. At the Count of Vila Pouca Theatre, also in the

, shows and plays were performed regularly so that money could be raised to aid the construction efforts of the church. On 18 October 1785, the body of the church was finished; it was blessed the same year. Construction of the

apse In architecture, an apse (: apses; from Latin , 'arch, vault'; from Ancient Greek , , 'arch'; sometimes written apsis; : apsides) is a semicircular recess covered with a hemispherical Vault (architecture), vault or semi-dome, also known as an ' ...

did not begin until 1789. The section of the Medieval Walls of Guimarães that surrounded the

Toural The Toural Square (), commonly referred as just Toural, is the most important Town square, square and place of gathering on the Portugal, Portuguese city of Guimarães. It began in the 17th century as a place to sell bulls (Touro in Portuguese l ...

was demolished in 1789, enabling the reuse of its stones in the construction of the church's apse. The apse's construction was concluded nine years later, in 1798. The master stonemasons Vicente José Carvalho and Diogo Soares contributed in the church's construction, with Soares being in charge of the construction's

budget A budget is a calculation plan, usually but not always financial plan, financial, for a defined accounting period, period, often one year or a month. A budget may include anticipated sales volumes and revenues, resource quantities including tim ...

and Carvalho gaining control of the whole project in 10 April 1773. It is very likely that the Santos Passos Church was sacked and

looted Looting is the act of stealing, or the taking of goods by force, typically in the midst of a military, political, or other social crisis, such as war, natural disasters (where law and civil enforcement are temporarily ineffective), or rioting. ...

during the Napoleonic Invasion of northern Portugal in 1809, as it was located outside the city walls.

Expansions and bell towers

In 1861, a side chapel attached to the main structure was built on the right side of the apse to venerate . The bell towers were not present in André Soares' drawings. According to many engravings of that time, including a lithograph drawing by George Vivian, the initial appearance of the church façade was more open, making the central section stand out, enhancing the dynamic scenic effect of the wall's undulation. In 28 May 1862, the construction of the bell towers was initiated, a project led by

Porto Porto (), also known in English language, English as Oporto, is the List of cities in Portugal, second largest city in Portugal, after Lisbon. It is the capital of the Porto District and one of the Iberian Peninsula's major urban areas. Porto c ...

's architect Pedro Ferreira. After the Count of Vila Pouca Theatre burned down on the night of 18 January 1841, the

Afonso Henriques Theatre The Afonso Henriques Theatre (or Dom Afonso Henriques Theatre; ), was the main entertainment center of Guimarães from 1853 until its replacement by the Jordão Theatre in the late 1930s. Over its 90-plus years, the Afonso Henriques Theatre was ...

was built to replace it in 1853 and was inaugurated two years later. This new theatre, similarly to its predecessor, contributed in the completion of the church by donating the funds they received from plays and

magic lantern The magic lantern, also known by its Latin name , is an early type of image projector that uses pictures—paintings, prints, or photographs—on transparent plates (usually made of glass), one or more lens (optics), lenses, and a light source. ...

slide shows. On 22 April 1863, the play ''O Veterano Mateus'', the song "O Sebastianista" and the comedy ''A Actriz'' were played exclusively to raise money for the construction of the church's bell towers. There were many in attendance and the city's music played outside the theatre. The towers were completed in 1875, and on 28 May of that year, exactly 14 years after the construction of the towers began, they were given a new set of bells, which were also blessed. In 1878, it was awarded the title of ''Real Irmandade'' and the

prerogative In law, a prerogative is an exclusive right bestowed by a government or State (polity), state and invested in an individual or group, the content of which is separate from the body of rights enjoyed under the general law. It was a common facet of ...

Royal chapel A royal chapel is a chapel associated with a monarch, a royal court, or in a royal palace. A royal chapel may also be a body of clergy or musicians serving at a royal court or employed by a monarch. Commonwealth countries Both the United Kin ...

by King Luís I. At the time of their construction, it was noted that the towers were disproportionately large compared to the rest of the church, eliminating the unity of the original façade. The size of the towers was further accentuated by the surrounding area, at the time filled with low houses. The granite sculptures that decorated the bridge that runs along the axis of the church were later transferred to the church's façade, and its frontispiece was covered in

azulejo (, ; from the Arabic ) is a form of Portuguese and Spanish painted Tin-glazing, tin-glazed ceramic tilework. ''Azulejos'' are found on the interior and exterior of church (building), churches, palaces, ordinary houses, schools, and nowadays, r ...

s. The current staircase in front of the church also dates back to the mid-19th century, with

s that convey a scenographic effect.

Interior

Inside the church, the neoclassical altarpiece in the chancel, painted in imitation of

marble Marble is a metamorphic rock consisting of carbonate minerals (most commonly calcite (CaCO3) or Dolomite (mineral), dolomite (CaMg(CO3)2) that have recrystallized under the influence of heat and pressure. It has a crystalline texture, and is ty ...

, was crafted by António José da Cunha in 1793. The four altarpieces in the nave, created by an unknown author, are from a transitional period between the

rocaille Rocaille ( , ) was a French style of exuberant decoration, with an abundance of curves, counter-curves, undulations and elements modeled on nature, that appeared in furniture and interior decorative arts, decoration during the early reign of Lo ...

and neoclassical style and feature panels depicting scenes from the life of

Christ Jesus ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, and many other names and titles, was a 1st-century Jewish preacher and religious leader. He is the Jesus in Christianity, central figure of Christianity, the M ...

. They were created sometime before 1798, when the painters Marcelo Caetano da Silva and Manuel José Coimbra, both from Guimarães, were hired to paint and gild them.

Modern times

Preservation status

Despite significant transformations in its surroundings throughout its existence, the Santos Passos Church has remained relatively unchanged since the completion of its construction. This is in contrast to other nearby churches, such as São Paio Church, which was demolished in 1914, and the São Dâmaso Church, which was relocated close to the

Castle of Guimarães The Castle of Guimarães () is the principal medieval castle in the concelho, municipality Guimarães, in the Norte Region, Portugal, northern region of Portugal. It was built under the orders of Mumadona Dias in the 10th century to defend the mo ...

between 1960 and 1966. Due to years of conservation efforts and restoration works, the church remains in pristine condition. The Santos Passos Church is located in the

, a

World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...

UNESCO The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO ) is a List of specialized agencies of the United Nations, specialized agency of the United Nations (UN) with the aim of promoting world peace and International secur ...

since 2001. It was declared a Public Interest Building along with its oratories via decree number 4593, D.R. 280 of 30 November 1993.

Cultural impact

The Santos Passos Church plays a significant role in the festivities of Guimarães, especially during the Gualterianas. The Procession of Saint Gualter, one of the Gualterianas' most important events, both begins and ends at the church. The Posses e Magusto, one of the festivities of the

Nicolinas The Nicolinas () are a series of festivities to honor Saint Nicholas that occur in the Portugal, Portuguese city of Guimarães. Held between 29 November and 7 December, they celebrate the old traditions and camaraderie of the inhabitants of Guim ...

, also begins at the church. The Santos Passos Church is constantly illuminated with lights and adorned with seasonal decorations throughout the year, unlike most churches in the historic centre. The

Procession A procession is an organized body of people walking in a formal or ceremonial manner. History Processions have in all peoples and at all times been a natural form of public celebration, as forming an orderly and impressive ceremony. Religious ...

of Nosso Senhor dos Santos Passos is a national event; in Guimarães, it is organized by the Irmandade dos Santos Passos. The procession begins at the Santos Passos Church and travels through the Historic Centre of Guimarães, passing along São Dâmaso Boulevard, continuing through the

, and reaching Misericórdia Square before returning to the Santos Passos Church, ending the ceremony. It usually takes place every year in March or April, regardless of the weather.

References

Bibliography

* * * * * * * * * *

External links

* * * * {{Guimarães Churches in Guimarães Churches completed in 1785 Baroque church buildings in Portugal