Consider the name Capela do Rato. It is the popular designation for the Chapel of Nossa Senhora da Bonança. It later became the Chapel of Nossa Senhora da Conceição. You will find it on Calçada Bento da Rocha Cabral in Lisbon.
The Igreja do Casal do Rato has a rich history. The Marquis of Viana ordered its construction in 1839. It was intended as a private chapel for the Palace of the Marquises of Praia. António Borges de Medeiros Dias da Câmara e Sousa and Maria José Coutinho Maldonado de Albergaria Freire acquired the palace. They bought space adjacent to the palace from the Fábrica da Louça.
Manuel Joaquim de Sousa designed the Igreja do Casal do Rato. Rodrigues Pita created the stucco work in 1864. Maria Francisca Borges de Medeiros Dias da Câmara. She was the daughter of the Marqueses da Praia e Monforte. She was married to the Count of Cuba, Alexandre Domingos Henriques Pereira de Faria Saldanha Vasconcelos e Lancastre. After the Countess of Cuba died, she donated the chapel to the Patriarchate of Lisbon.
The Igreja do Casal do Rato became a site of protest. On December 30, 1972, a vigil against the colonial war and the Estado Novo took place. Portuguese Catholics organized it. The next day, shock police invaded the Igreja do Casal do Rato. They detained about 50 people. On December 14, 2022, the Comunidade da Capela do Rato received recognition. They were made an Honorary Member of the Order of Liberty. This was for organizing the vigil.
The vigil at the Igreja do Casal do Rato was significant. On December 30, 1972, a group of Catholics started a 48-hour vigil. Some non-Catholics joined them. They meditated on peace. They reflected on the colonial wars. Participants repudiated the government’s policy. They denounced the “criminal war” aimed at liberation movements in the colonies. They also criticized the Catholic Church’s complicity.
Police forces interrupted the vigil that evening. Participants were taken to the local police station. Fourteen remained detained for two weeks in Caxias prison. Public officials present faced dismissal proceedings.
In January 1973, the Igreja do Casal do Rato events sparked debate. It took place in the National Assembly. Deputy Casal-Ribeiro condemned the vigil. He saw it as an offense to the armed forces. Deputy Miller Guerra defended freedom of thought and expression. He eventually resigned the following month.
The government’s version stated that the meeting began after evening mass. A group announced they would occupy the Igreja do Casal do Rato until January 1. They intended to reflect on peace. They also planned to discuss the defense of Guinea, Angola, and Mozambique. Pamphlets titled “Make Peace Possible” were distributed. They announced a hunger strike against the colonial war.
The police intervened on December 31. They dissolved the meeting. An official ordered the dissolution. He gave a ten-minute deadline. Some resisted. Authorities detained the meeting’s leaders for disobedience. Others were detained for disrespecting authorities. The detainees were suspected of involvement in bomb explosions.
Public officials faced consequences. The Council of Ministers considered applying a decree-law. It allowed them to dismiss or retire officials caught in flagrante delicto. Subversive posters covered the Igreja do Casal do Rato walls. Pamphlets were found on the benches.
Deputy Miller Guerra challenged Casal-Ribeiro. He questioned how the Church could be free in a state that suppressed freedom of thought. He highlighted the Igreja do Casal do Rato events. Catholics were expelled from the church for discussing justice, peace, and war.
Following the April 25 Revolution, Miller Guerra returned to Parliament. He was elected to the Constituent Assembly in 1975. The Igreja do Casal do Rato vigil remains a powerful symbol. It represents resistance against war and oppression. It shows the courage of those who stood up for their beliefs.