Chapel of Our Lord of Glory

Jacobina, Bahia, Brazil

Religious Architecture

The Chapel of Our Lord of Glory or the Mission Church, as it is known among Jacobina residents, is set on a low hill with its back to the city and facing the valley of the River Itapicuru-Mirim . Built in the early 18th century by the founders of the Casa da Ponte, it was donated in 1706 to the Franciscan missionaries, who attached a small convent which was demolished in 1860 by the Brotherhood of Our Lady of Patience. It was listed by IPHAN in 1972. The floor plan comprises a single nave, with a sacristy and a consistory beside the chancel. Two side alpendre porches complement the front copiar porch. Both types were used by the Franciscans in Portugal and are common in rural Bahia chapels. However, the combined use of the two is quite rare. Unfortunately, one of the alpendres was closed off to build a chapel. The main façade is gabled. Above the copiar, the windows of the choir are visible. Below it are two small low windows closed by wooden grilles, flanking the portal with its straight lintel and simple borders. The wooden bell-tower stands on the left corner. Various tile panels provide a hierarchy to the spaces, creating a pleasing interplay of volumes. The chancel ceiling has polychrome coffers. From here, a bay separated by wooden grilles leads to the consistory. The nave preserves the niches of former altars, which, according to Azevedo, recall the side chapels of Jesuit churches, as well as the pulpit carved with Christian and indigenous symbols.