Brunhais Parish Church (São Paio)

Category: Religious Architecture > Church

District: Braga > Póvoa de Lanhoso > Brunhais > Covas

Location

The Parish Church of Brunhais, dedicated to Saint Pelagius, is located in the parish of the same name, in the municipality of Póvoa de Lanhoso. It occupies a position on the eastern edge of the village, in the area known as Covas.

It is situated in a rural setting, flanked by the parish house, the cemetery, and agricultural fields, with views of the road that connects the municipal seat to Cabeceiras de Basto. The building is surrounded by a granite-paved churchyard.

Architecture and Exterior

This church presents a fusion of architectural styles, revealing Baroque, Rococo, and Neoclassical influences. Its structure is longitudinal, composed of a single rectangular nave, an octagonal central body (crossing), and a chancel at the back, flanked by lateral sacristies.

The exterior facades, clad in industrial white tiles, maintain a general simplicity that contrasts with the more elaborate and ornate shapes of the chancel's openings. The bell tower, attached to one side of the main facade, stands out for its spire covered in white tiles, culminating in a weather vane and iron cross. Granite details, such as the plinth and quoins, reinforce its structure.

The Interior and Its Decoration

Upon entering, the visitor is met with walls covered in monochromatic blue tiles, adorned with elements that evoke the Passion of Christ. The nave has a barrel-vaulted ceiling, stuccoed and painted, with symbols alluding to Saint Peter.

The crossing, with its octagonal ceiling, displays paintings that alternate Passion symbols with representations of the four apostles. It is crowned by a lantern with stained-glass windows that bring light into the space. On the floor of this central body, ceramic inlays form geometric and vegetal designs, including an inscription with the date of 1882.

Gilded and polychrome carving is a distinctive element, present in the various altarpieces. The main altarpiece, in Neoclassical style, is located in the chancel and houses the image of the Crucified Christ, framed by Corinthian columns. The lateral altarpieces and those of the crossing blend Rococo and Neoclassical elements, with emphasis on the invocations to Saint Sebastian, Ecce Homo, Our Lady of the Rosary, Our Lady of Grace, and the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The church also features a choir loft with a wooden railing and pulpits with wrought-iron railings.

A Bit of History

The history of the parish church of Brunhais dates back, at least, to 1758, a date when a record describes the building then in existence. At that time, the church, already dedicated to Saint Pelagius, had the high altar of the patron saint and four additional secondary altars in the nave.

The building seen today is the result of a significant remodeling and expansion campaign that occurred between 1878 and 1884. This work was financed by a local benefactor, João António de Mattos, and included the addition of the octagonal body that precedes the chancel and the construction of the lateral sacristies.

A plaque in the sacristy marks this intervention, detailing the years of construction and mentioning those responsible for directing the works, the Reverends Albino José da Cruz and his brother Francisco Xavier Gonçalves da Cruz. The floor of the crossing, with the 1882 inscription, also perpetuates the memory of this constructive phase.

License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.pt