In 1755, the Convento do Carmo was the largest church in Lisbon. The great gothic church and monastery actually dated back to the 1300s.
But then...on November 1, 1755...All Saints' Day in the Catholic Church...as everyone...including the king and his family were attending Mass...a devastating earthquake rocked the city.
The force of the quake brought the roof of the church down killing many of the congregation inside. Elsewhere in Lisbon the death toll was measured in the tens of thousands and large fires broke out in the city. If things could get any worse they did; the riverside area was hit by a tsunami drowning many more. The Great Earthquake was felt throughout Western Europe and had a profound influence on Portugal's self-confidence as a nation.
The church was never rebuilt. The ruins are a memorial to Lisbon's losses on that fateful day 377 years ago. It really is very beautiful - in a haunting sort of way - with arches pointing for nowhere overlooking the sky.
Sometimes called the Church With No Roof, you can get to it by way of the Santa Justa Lift. Or, of course, you can also just take a hike up that vertical hill!
In what used to be the main altar is now a small archaeological museum with an eclectic collection of tombs (the largest one is of King Ferdinand I), statuary, ceramics, and mosaics, shrunken heads, South American mummies, old coins, and much more.
The church was also the burial site of Christopher Columbus’ wife, Filipa Perestrelo, who was a native of the Portuguese island of Porto Santo,
At the entrance of the museum is a stone engraved with gothic lettering, informing visitors that Pope Clement VII granted 40 days of indulgence to "any faithful Christian" that visits this church.
(Not a bad deal for just one visit.)
One of the rooms of the museum shows a 15-minute projection, narrated in Portuguese and English, explaining the six centuries of the convent’s history.
So there you have it. Another been there done that virtual experience!
And speaking of churches...I'm so grateful for ours...General Conference was amazing. Last week we enjoyed Stake Conference here in Lisbon. And, of course, Easter is just around the corner.
My little Easter message to you...
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