Igreja de Anta

“A curious thing happened on June 13th,” I begin, gesturing towards Igreja de Anta. “Not one, not two, but several key events in this church’s history unfolded on that very date.” Igreja de Anta, located in Porto’s Bonfim district near the Antas neighborhood, has a fascinating story. The first curious June 13th event occurred in 1935. Seven devout Catholics petitioned Bishop António Augusto de Castro Meireles for a new parish and church in the Antas area. Exactly one year later, on June 13th, 1936, the Bishop blessed the first stone of Igreja de Anta. The initial design was by architect José Ferreira Peneda. Another year later, on you guessed it, June 13th, 1937, the Bishop celebrated the first mass in the church’s crypt. This crypt, now the Antas Social Center, served as the temporary church. Then, on June 13th, 1938, the Parish of Santo António das Antas was officially established. The first priest was appointed on that very day. The current Igreja de Anta building, however, wasn’t started until a decade later. The first stone was blessed on June 13th, 1948, by Bishop Agostinho de Jesus e Sousa. A newspaper article from the next day described the future church as a “majestic temple.” The architects for this new design were Fernando Barbosa and Fernando Tudela. Their 1944 design, a final course project from the Porto School of Fine Arts, replaced Peneda’s original plan. Inside, Igreja de Anta is a rectangular, three-aisled structure. The main nave has an ogival vaulted ceiling, illuminated by slender windows. At the end sits the oval main chapel and altar, featuring a tabernacle by sculptor Irene Vilar. Several other artists contributed works to the church, including a striking statue of Saint Anthony by Avelino Rocha. Outside, the towering bell tower houses a nine-bell carillon. The church’s construction took a long time, leading to the unusual situation of the parish being established before the church building was complete. So, as you stand before Igreja de Anta, remember the curious chain of events, all occurring on the 13th of June, that led to its creation.