Cult of Senhor Santo Cristo dos Milagres

History

Senhor Santo Cristo dos Milagres

The story of the cult of Senhor Santo Cristo dos Milagres, on the island of São Miguel, begins at the Convent of Caloura, in Água de Pau, Lagoa.

It’s said it was in this place that the first convent of religious women, on the island, was built, due to the compassion of Jorge da Mota daughters, from Vila Franca do Campo.

But, for such a religious community to be established as it should, it was necessary for someone to go to Rome, to ask for the respective Apostolic Bull. Two sisters then left São Miguel on the way to the eternal city, where they asked the Pope for the desired document. They performed this mission so well, that the Supreme Pontiff not only granted them the Apostolic Bull, but also offered them an image of “Ecce Homo”.

Back to Vale de Cabaços, the unique image was placed in a niche where it was preserved only for a few years. The reason was because it was deserted and very exposed to pirates’ attacks. The small monastery was deserted, since part of the religious women went to Santo André, in Vila Franca do Campo, and the other part went to Ponta Delgada, to the Esperança Monastery, just founded by the widow of the Donatory Captain Rui Gonçalves da Câmara.

The image of Senhor Santo Cristo was not forgotten in Vale de Cabaços, because Mother Inês de Santa Iria, a Galician nun, brought it with her to Ponta Delgada.