Church of Saint Facundus

Category: Religious Architecture > Church

District: Santarém > Abrantes > São Facundo > São Facundo e Vale das Mós

Location:

The Church of São Facundo is situated in the village of São Facundo itself, within the area that today constitutes the Union of Parishes of São Facundo and Vale das Mós. It is located in the municipality of Abrantes, in its southeastern part.

Upon arriving in São Facundo, the church emerges as one of the central elements of the settlement, reflecting its historical and communal importance in the heart of the village.

The Origin of the Village's Name

The history of the Church of São Facundo is deeply linked to the very identity and name of the locality where it is situated. In the past, this settlement was known by another name: Zonalheira.

It was precisely within the church's boundaries that, around the 16th century, a significant discovery occurred: the finding of a saint. This saint was given the name São Fagundo. This event had such an impact that the settlement decided to adopt the saint's name, becoming known as São Fagundo, a designation that later evolved into the current "São Facundo". Thus, the church is the physical place where the village found the element that gave it its name.

A Landmark in the History of the Parish

Beyond its connection to the local nomenclature, the Church of São Facundo played an active role in crucial moments of the region's administrative organization. On October 16, 1513, this religious building was the setting for an important formal act.

Its facilities served as the backdrop for the drafting of a legal document aimed at obtaining official confirmation from the bishop for the creation of the new parish of São Facundo. This fact demonstrates the church's centrality not only in the spiritual life of the community but also as a reference point for decisions and formalities that shaped the area's structure, aggregating various nearby places under its parochial jurisdiction.

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