Clutching its history tightly, Igreja Capela Santo Antônio stands as São Paulo’s oldest remaining church. Its story began long ago. It started before 1592. The oldest mention of the temple appears in Afonso Sardinha’s will. He left two cruzados to the “ermida de Santo Antonio”. This suggests its construction predates that year. It was a small chapel. Anonymous worshippers built it at the end of Direita Street.
Let’s delve deeper into the Igreja Capela Santo Antônio. Information became clearer from 1638. The chapel underwent its first renovation then. The next year, Franciscan friars arrived from Rio de Janeiro. They settled in the chapel. They took charge of its duties. Even after building their convent, the Franciscans cared for the chapel.
In 1717, the chapel had another big renovation. Dom Bernardo Rodrigues Nogueira led it. He was São Paulo’s first bishop. Devotees helped too. The building grew. It became a church that year. A third renovation happened in 1747. In 1774, the Brotherhood of Our Lady of the Rosary of White Men formed. They took over the church’s administration. They transformed it into their headquarters.
A fire damaged Igreja Capela Santo Antônio in 1891. It started in a nearby building. In 1899, the city ordered the brotherhood to rebuild the tower and facade. This was due to alignment work on Direita Street. Francisco Xavier Pais de Barros funded the work. He was the Baron of Tatuí. The Count of Prates also helped. Both lived near the church before the Viaduto do Chá was built. The work took years. The church reopened in 1919. It had a new eclectic-style facade.
Despite many changes over time, Igreja Capela Santo Antônio remains historically important. The Council for the Defense of Historical, Archaeological, Artistic and Tourist Heritage of the State of São Paulo listed it as a landmark in 1970. In 1991, another fire damaged the building’s rear.
Restoration work began in 2005. During repairs, workers found different layers from different eras. These included paint and carvings. They covered the altar’s original paintings. The 20th-century carvings were removed. The 17th-century paintings of angels were renovated. The altar now shows Baroque colors of São Paulo. These colors are red, yellow, and gold. After checking the ceiling, a 17th-century painting was found. It survived the fires of 1891 and 1991. The paint layers were removed. The picture was repaired.
In 2019, the church began its first complete restoration. The project included renovating the foundations. It also included the electrical and plumbing systems. The bells in the tower were renovated. The building’s interior was renovated too. The wooden ceiling, stained glass windows, floors, and facade were recovered.
Today, Igreja Capela Santo Antônio stands as a testament to time. It shows resilience and faith. Its walls hold centuries of stories. They whisper tales of worshippers and renovations. They echo with the spirit of São Paulo itself.