Boring white washed church that once we stepped inside was impressive. Inside we saw an exquisite decorative church of Lisbon. The tile walls, gold chapels, Greco ceiling were ornate & spectacular.
There are tours in English & other languages along with a museum. It originally was a shrine that housed relics. Sao Roque (1295-1327) was canonized for his healing of plague victims and his feasts day commemorated on the 16 August. After Sao Roque's death he became a symbol for the protection from the Black Death plague which ravaged much of Europe.
King Manuel I of Portugal believed that a relic from Saint Roque would protect Lisbon and he constructed a small shrine to the west of Lisbon to house the relic. The holy relic provided little protection for Lisbon which suffered horrendously at the hands of the plague. But the church has remained spectacular. read more