A simple yet elegant facade greets you. This is the Igreja Matriz de Santa Rita. Its beauty stands in quiet contrast to the grandeur of surrounding Rio buildings.
The Igreja Matriz de Santa Rita boasts a harmonious blend of 17th-century Baroque-Rococo style and modern architectural flair. Its history is rich and deeply rooted in the city’s past.
Devotion to Santa Rita de Cássia began in Rio de Janeiro before 1710. A Portuguese nobleman Manuel Nascentes Pinto his wife and son arrived in Rio. They brought with them a painting of Santa Rita. For years this painting was venerated in their home. Every year on May 22 they hosted religious gatherings. The entire city was invited.
Their devotion inspired them to build a chapel. They commissioned a magnificent statue of Santa Rita from Portugal. While the chapel was under construction the statue was temporarily housed at the Igreja da Candelária. The cornerstone of the chapel was laid in 1720. Nascentes Pinto generously funded the project. By 1721 the chapel’s main altar sacristy and consistory were completed. The Irmandade de Santa Rita de Cássia was also established that year. It assumed the administration of the church.
From 1824 to 1830 the church stood next to the first cemetery for recently arrived African slaves. These slaves were brought to the city via the Mercado do Valongo a slave market. This dark history is a sobering counterpoint to the church’s sacred purpose.
The Igreja Matriz de Santa Rita became a parish church on January 30 1751. It holds relics of Santa Rita de Cássia and Santo Lenho. The church can seat 250 people. Today the parish continues its charitable work providing support to the community. It is a testament to enduring faith and community spirit. This unassuming church stands as a living monument to history faith and devotion. It is a place of quiet reflection and a vibrant center of community life.