Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
$ Statue of
% Statue of
St. Benedict
Regarded as one of
the crowning achieve-
ments of Baroque in
Rio de Janeiro, this
elaborate statue of
the founder of the
Benedictine order
forms a part of the
altarpiece, which is
located at the back
of the church.
St. Scholastica
Another one of Frei
Domingos da
Conceição's works,
this intricately carved
statue (left) depicts St.
Scholastica, who was
the twin sister of St.
Benedict. The saint's
name stands for “she
who is devoted to
theological study.”
^ Statue of Our Lady
& The Blessed
of Montserrat
This statue of the patron
saint of the church
was also created
by Frei
Domingos da
Conceição.
There are
many other
paintings of
the patron
saint adorning
the walls of
the church and
monastery (right) .
Sacrament Chapel
This chapel is the most
sacred part of the
church. It preserves
the consecrated
host - bread that
Catholics believe
to be the body
of Christ - and
has the most
lavish Rococo
features of any
building in Rio, with
gilded carvings and a
burnished sacred heart.
* Paintings by Frei
Ricardo Pilar
The painting Christ of
the Martyrs by the
German Benedictine
monk Ricardo Pilar dates
from 1690 and is the
finest of all his paintings
in the church.
( Candelabras
The church was
originally illuminated by
candles held in ornate
candelabras cast from
silver by the artist Mestre
Valentim. The most
impressive of these still
sit next to the altarpiece.
St. Benedict
St. Benedict of Norsia,
the founder of Western
monasticism, was a
Roman noble who fled
the city to live as a
hermit. Inspired by his
saintliness, the commu-
nity of a nearby abbey
requested St. Benedict
to be their leader. He
later founded a
monastery, where he
wrote the Rule of the
Benedictine Order.
)
The Library
The monastery's
library (right) preserves
one of the finest
collections of ancient
religious books in Brazil.
It is open only to those
members of the public
who have requested
permission in writing
from the abbot.
15
 
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