The
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 ...
Holy House of Mercy
The Holy House of Mercy of Macau ( pt, Santa Casa da Misericórdia; ), is a historic building in Senado Square, Macau, China. Established as a branch of the Santa Casa da Misericórdia, it was first built in 1569 on the orders of the Roman Cath ...
MHIH ( pt, Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa) is a
Portuguese charitable organisation that, in modern times, serves also as the national lottery and off-course betting operator. In spite of its historical links to the
Catholic Church, it is today a secular
legal person in the public administrative interest, that is to say, a private legal person, recognised by the authorities as pursuing non-profit-making objects of
public interest.
The first of its kind (though many other local ''
Misericórdias'' were established, throughout Portugal and its overseas colonies), it was established in 1498 by
Queen Regent Eleanor of Viseu, as a ''Brotherhood with the Invocation of Our Lady of Mercy'' (headquartered in a chapel of the
Lisbon Cathedral
The Cathedral of Saint Mary Major ( pt, Santa Maria Maior de Lisboa or ''Metropolitan Cathedral of St. Mary Major''), often called Lisbon Cathedral or simply the Sé ('), is a Roman Catholic cathedral located in Lisbon, Portugal. The oldest churc ...
) comprising "one hundred men of good reputation and sound conscience and honest life" that vowed to support the neediest and to uphold the
Fourteen Works of Mercy.
Although a private legal person, the ''Misericórdia'' is overseen by the
public administration, namely the Minister in charge of the
social security system; its Chairman (''Provedor''), who presides over the Board of Directors, is nominated by the
Prime Minister.
Estatutos
/ref>
See also
* List of Jesuit sites
References
External links
Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa
1498 establishments in Portugal
15th century in Portugal
15th-century Catholicism
Catholic charities
Charities based in Portugal
Fraternities and sororities in Portugal
{{charity-org-stub