Abrir ListaIn the parish of Alcáçovas, at its higher quota, is the Convent of Nossa Senhora da Esperança (Our Lady of Hope) that is slightly more then 2 km away from the village. To the north of the convent, near to the stream of Alcáçovas, is the Fonte Santa (Holy Fountain). In 1758, in the Memórias Paróquias (Parish Memories), José Albuquerque Lobo mentions that in the surrounding area of the convent there was wonderful fountain called Fonte Santa (Holy Fountain): “it comes out of an extremely strong rock and we can see the water springing or boiling in it; it never dries and it never diminishes”.
Until mid 17th century, the people of Alcáçovas and the neighbouring settlements called it the Fonte da Rocha (Fountain of the Rock). Several miracles have been attributed to this fountain. Túlio Espanca mentions two names of people that testified the miracles: “Inês Rodrigues, from Alcáçovas, called the Desumana (inhumane) and the farmer of Alcácer do Sal, Manuel Martins.
The farmers used to come to this place with their cattle for the animals to drink from this miraculous water. The faith related to this fountain was very significant.
Due to the great increase of worshippers coming to the fountain, during the 17th century, the 7th Lord of Alcáçovas, Henrique Henriques, engaged the population of Alcáçovas in building a road from the Holy Fountain to the Convent of Nossa Senhora da Esperança. These works finished on Agust 6, 1655. After that, this road would be walked by hundreds of people during Lent.
Nowadays, the Estate of Pedragosa, where the convent and the fountain are included, is private property with restricted access. On Pentecost Sunday is the pilgrimage of the Holy Spirit, near the Convent of Senhora da Esperança, which attracts dozens of pilgrims form several places that gather near the Convent.
REFERENCES:
Arquivo Nacional Torre do Tombo, Memórias Paroquiais, Dicionário Geográfico de Portugal, Tomo 1, nº 72, pp. 519 a 524.
ALCÂNTARA, Pe. Reitor Joaquim Pedro de, Breves Memórias da Villa das Alcáçovas, Reimpressão conforme no original publicado em 1890, Évora, Minerva Eborense, 2005.
COSME, João, & VARANDAS, José, “Alcáçovas”, in Memórias Paroquiais (1758), vol. I, Lisboa, Caleidoscópio, 2009.
ESPANCA, Túlio, Inventário Artístico de Portugal, Distrito de Évora, Vol. I, Lisboa, Academia Nacional de Belas Artes, 1978.
GRAVE, Nuno, Convento da Senhora da Esperança (Sécs. XVI – XVII). Contributos para a sua história, s.l., Edições Poejo, 2015.
Until mid 17th century, the people of Alcáçovas and the neighbouring settlements called it the Fonte da Rocha (Fountain of the Rock). Several miracles have been attributed to this fountain. Túlio Espanca mentions two names of people that testified the miracles: “Inês Rodrigues, from Alcáçovas, called the Desumana (inhumane) and the farmer of Alcácer do Sal, Manuel Martins.
The farmers used to come to this place with their cattle for the animals to drink from this miraculous water. The faith related to this fountain was very significant.
Due to the great increase of worshippers coming to the fountain, during the 17th century, the 7th Lord of Alcáçovas, Henrique Henriques, engaged the population of Alcáçovas in building a road from the Holy Fountain to the Convent of Nossa Senhora da Esperança. These works finished on Agust 6, 1655. After that, this road would be walked by hundreds of people during Lent.
Nowadays, the Estate of Pedragosa, where the convent and the fountain are included, is private property with restricted access. On Pentecost Sunday is the pilgrimage of the Holy Spirit, near the Convent of Senhora da Esperança, which attracts dozens of pilgrims form several places that gather near the Convent.
REFERENCES:
Arquivo Nacional Torre do Tombo, Memórias Paroquiais, Dicionário Geográfico de Portugal, Tomo 1, nº 72, pp. 519 a 524.
ALCÂNTARA, Pe. Reitor Joaquim Pedro de, Breves Memórias da Villa das Alcáçovas, Reimpressão conforme no original publicado em 1890, Évora, Minerva Eborense, 2005.
COSME, João, & VARANDAS, José, “Alcáçovas”, in Memórias Paroquiais (1758), vol. I, Lisboa, Caleidoscópio, 2009.
ESPANCA, Túlio, Inventário Artístico de Portugal, Distrito de Évora, Vol. I, Lisboa, Academia Nacional de Belas Artes, 1978.
GRAVE, Nuno, Convento da Senhora da Esperança (Sécs. XVI – XVII). Contributos para a sua história, s.l., Edições Poejo, 2015.
MUNICÍPIO DE VIANA DO ALENTEJO