Lisboa, the City of St. Vincent - The Cult of the Saint
The enduring symbolism of the cult of St. Vincent
By Lisboa Municipal Archive
in collaboration with the Office for Lisbon Studies
St. Vincent, Deacon, and Martyr
Vincent was born in Zaragoza and died in the year 304, due to the persecution of Christians by the Roman emperors. After his martyrdom, a tomb was built in Valencia, where his body began to be worshipped. The cult of St. Vincent spread rapidly throughout the Christian world.
Zaragoza, Sagres, Lisbon – The Route of the Cult
According to the chronicles of Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Razi (887-955 AD), written in the tenth century, the Christians of Valencia transported the saint’s body to Cape St. Vincent, in Sagres, where he is still worshipped today.
Towards the end of the twelfth century, Mestre Estevão, the cantor at Lisbon Cathedral, reported that a group of Mozarab Christians organised the transfer of the saint’s mortal remains to the city of Lisbon.
Cape St. Vincent (1906/1928) by Jorge Marçal da SilvaLisboa Municipal Archive
Cape St. Vincent
Statue of St. Vincent (1968) by Armando Maia SerôdioLisboa Municipal Archive
The Cult moves to Lisbon
The attributes that characterise the iconographic representation of St. Vincent are linked to the transfer of his relics to Lisbon, namely the boat that transported his body and the crows that accompanied him from the Algarve.
Olissipo quae nunc Lisboa ( ) (1598) by George Braunio and Franz HogenbergLisboa Municipal Archive
St. Vincent arrives in Lisbon
The relics arrived at the port of Lisbon by boat early in the morning of 15 September 1173 and were placed in the Church of Santa Justa (n.28), next to the Monastery of São Domingos, in Rossio (n.10).
The next day (16 September), the tomb was transported to Lisbon Cathedral (n.79), where the saint was worshipped at his own special altar. The worship of the saint at the cathedral contributed to the affirmation of King Afonso Henriques in the political context of the kingdom and the establishment of the city of Lisbon as a religious centre.
Reliquary (1965) by Armando Maia SerôdioLisboa Municipal Archive
The Preservation of the Relics
When the saint’s tomb was destroyed in the earthquake of 1755, the relics were gathered together in a coffin carved with motifs illustrating the life and cult of St. Vincent. This coffin is now kept in the Treasury Museum of Lisbon Cathedral and is placed on the high altar during religious ceremonies.
Oito Séculos de História (Eight Centuries of History) (1947/1956) by José de Almada NegreirosLisboa Municipal Archive
Representation of the Cult
Lisboa: Oito Séculos de História (Lisbon: Eight Centuries of History) was published between 1947 and 1956 to mark the 800th anniversary of the conquest of Lisbon by King Afonso Henriques. It includes illustrations by Martins Barata alluding to the most important episodes in the city’s history. The book’s cover was designed by Almada Negreiros.
In one of the illustrations of that book, Martins Barata painted a watercolour that reconstructs the arrival of St. Vincent’s relics at the cathedral in 1173. At that time, the building was being converted into a Christian church.
According to the chronicler Fernão Lopes, in his Crónica de D. João I (Chronicle of King João I, Chapter XLIX), after the Battle of Aljubarrota fought between the Portuguese and Spanish in 1385, the Lisbon Council organised several religious ceremonies to give thanks for the victory that had been won.
One of the main promises was that “a procession should be held at the cathedral church on the day of St. Vincent, the city’s patron saint, through whose intervention they understood that they had been greatly helped by God.”
In the Livro 1º de D. João I (First Book of King João I), approval was granted to the rules drawn up by the Lisbon Council regarding religious practices in the city. The ceremonies to be held in celebration of St. Vincent’s Day are mentioned on page 3 (reverse).
Religious Ceremonies
In 1614, the Council and the Cathedral Chapter agreed upon the organisation of the respective ceremonies: the city would be responsible for organising the celebrations of the transfer of the saint’s body (15 and 16 September, this being the date when his relics arrived in Lisbon), while the Cathedral would organise the ceremonies relating to the saint’s martyrdom (22 January, the date of St. Vincent’s death).
Page 122 of the Livro 3º de Assentos do Senado (1618-08-27) by Senate of the Lisbon CouncilLisboa Municipal Archive
In 1618 (27 August), the Livro 3º de assentos do Senado (3rd Book of the Senate’s Records) confirmed that the celebrations of the transfer of St. Vincent’s body would continue to be organised by the Lisbon Council (page 122, detail).
Ceremonies in the Present Day
Over time, Lisbon Municipal Council has gradually reduced the attention that is paid to the celebrations of the transfer of the saint’s body: the only celebration that is held is that of St. Vincent’s Day (22 January), organised by the Cathedral Chapter, which takes place in an atmosphere of great solemnity. It consists of a liturgical celebration at the Cathedral, attended by the whole diocesan community, as well as by two representatives from Lisbon Municipal Council.
Model of Lisbon prior to the earthquake in 1755 (2023-06-24) by José VicenteLisboa Municipal Archive
The Saint in the City
As the patron saint of the city of Lisbon and the royal family, St. Vincent became a subject of regular worship. The cult of the saint was evident in the reports of miracles and in the erection of buildings dedicated to his worship, such as the monastery of São Vicente de Fora, which was rebuilt at the orders of King Filipe II in 1582.
Royal Monastery of Santa Maria de Belém - The building of this monastery began in the late fifteenth century at the initiative of King Manuel I, who entrusted it to the Order of St. Jerome. The western doorway, which is the main entrance to the church, displays a statue of St. Vincent.
Tower of Belém (1900/1910) by Eduardo Alexandre CunhaLisboa Municipal Archive
Tower of São Vicente de Belém
This military tower was built between 1514 and 1519, for the defence of the city of Lisbon.
Statue of St. Vincent (2014-09-26) by José VicenteLisboa Municipal Archive
The saint is represented in the north-eastern corner of the building.
Blue Crow (2023) by João RodriguesLisboa Municipal Archive
St. Vincent Lisbon 850th Anniversary
To commemorate the 850th anniversary of the arrival of St. Vincent’s body in Lisbon (1073-2023), Lisbon Municipal Council organised a series of activities intended to increase people’s knowledge about this saint, an essential figure in the history and symbolism of Lisbon.
Round Table Teaser “Um Santo entre Tempos” (16 September 2023) Conversation about the preservation of the memory and cult of St. Vincent in the present day.
Continue your visit at: Lisbon, the City of St. Vincent - Exploring the Symbols
COORDINATION
Helena Neves (Arquivo Municipal de Lisboa / Lisbon Municipal Archive) and Hélia Silva (Gabinete de Estudos Olisiponenses / Office for Lisbon Studies)
TEXTS AND SELECTION OF IMAGES
Hélia Silva, Edite Martins Alberto
PRODUCTION
Mariana Caldas de Almeida, Marta Gomes
REVISION
Maria José Silva, Carla Serapicos
TRANSLATION
John Elliott
IMAGE AND VIDEO EDITING
Bruno Ferro, Jorge Baptista, Fátima Rocha
EXTERNAL IMAGES | ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Branding and Communication Department (Departamento Marca e Comunicação / C.M.L.)
Office for Lisbon Studies (Gabinete de Estudos Olisiponenses / C.M.L.)
Museum of Lisbon (Museu de Lisboa / EGEAC / C.M.L.)
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