Chapel of Our Lady of Moita

Category: Religious Architecture > Church

District: Santarém > Mação > Feiteira > Nossa Senhora da Moita

Location

The Chapel of Our Lady of Moita is situated in an area with the same name, in the locality of Feiteira, belonging to the municipality of Mação. Its position offers an atmosphere of serenity, away from urban agitation, providing an experience of tranquility and contact with the surrounding natural landscape, characteristic of this part of inland Portugal.

A Historical and Legendary Legacy

This chapel is the setting for a captivating legend that dates back to the time of Queen Saint Isabel. It is said that, during a journey from Coimbra to Vila Viçosa, the Queen and her entourage camped near this location. Without provisions, they were aided by the generosity of the populations of Galega and Feiteira, who, with the little wheat they possessed, endeavored to bake small breads to offer to the travelers. This act of solidarity deeply moved the Queen.

The Tradition of Saint Michael's Snacks

In recognition of the help received, Queen Saint Isabel is said to have promised that the communities of Galega and Feiteira would never again suffer from a lack of bread. According to the narrative, the Queen ordered the owners of the estates along her route to annually, at the time of Saint Michael, donate a certain amount of wheat to these peoples. From this gesture, the tradition of the Saint Michael's Snacks was born. To this day, this tradition remains alive: on this date, the breads are prepared which, after being blessed during the mass celebrated at the Chapel of Our Lady of Moita, are shared, symbolizing the continuity of generosity and community bonding.

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