Category: Religious Architecture > Church
District: Açores > São Roque do Pico > Cais do Pico > São Pedro de Alcântara
This architectural complex is located at Cais do Pico, an area within the village of São Roque do Pico. It is situated in a zone that connects the village's historical center with the port area, in a coastal location that gives the site a specific setting within the island's urban and maritime landscape.
The history of this convent dates back to the mid-17th century, linked to a remarkable event. According to accounts, a resident of São Roque do Pico, Sebastião Ferreira Pimentel, made a vow of gratitude after the ship he was traveling on to Lisbon was enveloped in a dense cloud, which reportedly saved it from a pirate attack. His parents, moved by faith and gratitude for the grace received, erected a small hermitage in 1658, dedicated to Our Lady of Deliverance, on the site where the convent now stands.
Later in the 18th century, the need to accommodate Franciscan friars from Lajes do Pico, who were assisting the population after the volcanic eruption of 1718, prompted the construction of a convent at Cais do Pico. This new building, belonging to the Order of Friars Minor, absorbed the structure of the original hermitage and gave rise to the complex we see today. Construction began around 1721, with the consecration of the church taking place on Christmas Eve of 1724, although works continued for a few more years, with the main structure being completed around 1728.
The convent church, although dedicated to Saint Peter of Alcântara, houses a beautiful image of the Virgin at the moment of her Assumption on its main altar. The interior features a large choir, formerly used for the friars' prayers.
The altars display elaborate woodcarving. In the sacristy, a sacristy chest (large chest of drawers) made of wood deserves attention for its richness and for being crafted from jacaranda, a wood originating from Brazil, testifying to the island's historical and commercial connections.
After the dissolution of religious orders in 1832 and the departure of the friars, the convent building underwent a long period of transformation and adaptation. It ceased to have an exclusively religious function and served various purposes over time. For example, it was a prison, housed a court and a tax office. It even functioned as an entertainment venue, specifically a cinema, and was the headquarters of various cultural and sports associations, even accommodating the Municipal Council of São Roque do Pico.
This trajectory of multiple uses reflects the building's importance in the civil and social life of the locality for almost two centuries. Currently, part of the structure maintains an accommodation function, having been adapted to serve another purpose.
This historical complex, consisting of the church and convent, is classified as a Property of Public Interest, recognizing its heritage and cultural value. Its baroque architecture integrates into the Azorean landscape.
Around the convent, a popular legend persists that speaks of a secret underground passage that would connect the building to Portinho da Baía de São Roque. According to tradition, it was through this tunnel that the friars mysteriously left one night, after the dissolution of religious orders. This story gave rise to the popular expression "levar a volta dos frades" (to take the friars' way/turn), used to describe a sudden disappearance without clear explanation.
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt
Coordinates DD: 38.523692,-28.3182809
Coordinates DMS: 38°31'25.3"N 28°19'5.8"W
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