Graça Convent ( pt, Convento da Graça) is one of the oldest
convent
A convent is a community of monks, nuns, religious brothers or, sisters or priests. Alternatively, ''convent'' means the building used by the community. The word is particularly used in the Catholic Church, Lutheran churches, and the Anglican ...
s in
Lisbon
Lisbon (; pt, Lisboa ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 544,851 within its administrative limits in an area of 100.05 km2. Grande Lisboa, Lisbon's urban area extends beyond the city's administr ...
. It is located in Largo da Graça, in the parish of
São Vicente, on Lisbon's highest hill. It faces a belvedere overlooking the city and the
Tagus River
The Tagus ( ; es, Tajo ; pt, Tejo ; see below) is the longest river in the Iberian Peninsula. The river rises in the Montes Universales near Teruel, in mid-eastern Spain, flows , generally west with two main south-westward sections, to e ...
. It belonged to the
Order of Saint Augustine Hermits and at one time served as their headquarters in
Portugal
Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of ...
.
History
Founded in 1271, at Monte de São Gens, Almofala, the convent was sponsored by
Afonso III of Portugal. By 1551 the convent had 13 chapels. On 18 May 1566, the remains of
Afonso de Albuquerque
Afonso de Albuquerque, 1st Duke of Goa (; – 16 December 1515) was a Portuguese general, admiral, and statesman. He served as viceroy of Portuguese India from 1509 to 1515, during which he expanded Portuguese influence across the Indian Ocean ...
were buried in the chapel.
Francisco de Saldanha da Gama
D. Francisco I de Saldanha da Gama (May 20, 1723 – November 1, 1776) was the third cardinal patriarch of Lisbon (from 1758).
Life
He studied canon law at Coimbra and was appointed a cardinal by Pope Benedict XIV in 1756, and named Patriar ...
and
Fernando de Sousa e Silva
Fernando de Sousa da Silva ( 27 November 1712 - 11 April 1786) was the fourth Patriarch of Lisbon, being elected in December 1776, and consecrated on 30 May 1779. He was elevated to the cardinalate by Pope Pius VI in the secret consistory held ...
are also buried at Graça.
The convent was rebuilt in the 16th century and restored after the 1755 earthquake and again in the 21st century. It is classified as a National Monument of Portugal.
See also
*
Procession of Our Lord of the Passion of Graça
The Procession of Our Lord of the Passion of Graça ( pt, Procissão do Senhor dos Passos da Graça), alternatively, the Procession of Our Lord of the Stations of the Cross of Graça) is one of the oldest and most important religious processions, w ...
References
{{Coord missing, Portugal
Churches in Lisbon
13th-century establishments in Portugal