Holy Spirit (chapel)

This chapel, at the Lombada dos Esmeraldos (see that entry) in the parish (freguesia) of Ponta do Sol (‘point of the sun’), was the seat of one of the two entailed estates (morgadio) founded there by the Fleming João Esmeraldo (see that entry); the other was known as the entailed estate of Vale da Bica (‘spout valley’). The chapel of Santo Espírito (‘Holy Spirit’), now called Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception (Nossa Senhora da Conceição), was built at the beginning of the 16th century by this same João Esmeraldo. It was blessed, or rather consecrated, in 1508 by Bishop Dom João Lobo, who, before the diocese was created, had come to this island to exercise episcopal functions by order of the Grand Master of the Order of Christ (Ordem de Cristo), to which the archipelago belonged in spiritual matters. The following inscription can still be read today on one of the inner walls of the church: ‘This church was consecrated by Dom João Lobo, Bishop of Taiere, on 27 August 1508.’ There is no doubt that the present church is not the original building. It was rebuilt around the middle of the 17th century on a larger scale than the first design. A few years ago it underwent further repairs and was blessed in 1904, as recorded by the following words found there: ‘This chapel, having been repaired, was blessed again on 10 June 1904, with the customary solemnities, by the diocesan prelate His Most Reverend Excellency Dom Manuel Agostinho Barreto.’ It is the largest, most elegant and richest chapel in the whole diocese. The azulejos (painted glazed tiles) covering the lower walls of the nave and chancel are worthy of admiration; they depict the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit in symbolic figures. This chapel, which has five altars, contains some artistically and masterfully carved statues that at once catch the visitor’s attention. Near this church there still stands, though badly damaged, the large and imposing house of the administrators of this entailed estate, of which the 2nd Count of Carvalhal (‘oak grove’) was the last holder.

The Madeiran review A Esperança (‘Hope’), of 1 and 15 October 1920, contains an interesting description of this chapel from an artistic point of view, which deserves to be read despite whatever exaggeration it may contain. See the pamphlet A Lombada dos Esmeraldos by Father Fernando A. Silva.