New Cathedral (Coimbra, Portugal)

Nesta página: 

I . History

II . The New Cathedral

III . The Society of Jesus

I . HISTORY

On April 14, 1547, the so-called College of Jesus was launched, promoted by master Simão Rodrigues, one of the founders of the Society of Jesus, and sponsored by King John III. Later, on August 7, 1598, the first stone of the Church of the Most Holy Name of Jesus was laid; the church was designed by Baltazar Álvares (1560-1630).  On January 1, 1640, the church opened to worship, but the works on the apse were completed only in 1698. The apse opened on that same year.

Following the suppression of the Society of Jesus in 1759, much of the College was handed over to the University of Coimbra, while the church, the sacristy and some of the outbuildings were assigned to the Diocese of Coimbra. The church was raised to cathedral status in 1772, substituting for the Old See of Coimbra.

With the relocation of the Cathedral, the choir-stalls and the baptismal font were transferred to the new church, as well as a large number of sculptures, paintings and liturgical vessels.  The apse of the new church had to be expanded to accommodate the stalls.

II . THE NEW CATHEDRAL

Located in Upper Coimbra, the New Cathedral stands out by its grandeur, set in the architectural ensemble of the old College of Jesus.

The main façade, facing south, with a wide stairway leading to it, is divided into two sections. The lower section features the statues of the great Jesuit saints: St. Ignatius of Loyola and St. Francis Xavier; St. Francis Borgia and St. Aloysius Gonzaga.  In the upper section, finished in the 18th century, one can see at the centre the arms of the kingdom of Portugal, with statues of St. Peter and St. Paul on both sides. The bell towers, built towards the end of the 17th century, are slightly receding from the front of the church.

The spacious interior of the church is built to a Latin cross plan with a single nave. The wooden vestibule from the 18th century is crowned with the monogram of the Society of Jesus. The side walls below the choir loft are lined with 17th century tiles.

On the large nave, with eight intercommunicating side chapels from the 17th and early 18th centuries, there are several gilded wooden altarpieces, mostly attributed to Manuel da Rocha and João Soares.

The Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament, initially dedicated to the Immaculate Conception, has at the centre of the altarpiece two paintings depicting The Immaculate Conception and The Holy Trinity, by Baltazar Gomes Figueira (1604-1674); the predella has bas-reliefs with Marian motifs (such as the Sun and the Moon). The coat of arms and the inscription on the side refer to the foundation of the chapel by Dr. Luis Ribeiro de Leyva.

The Chapel of St. Thomas of Villanova, initially dedicated to St. Francis Xavier, is fully covered in gilded wood by Matias Rodrigues de Carvalho (1682).  The altarpiece has several decorative motifs alluding to the original invocation: the monogram IHS on the upper cartouche; and in the predella, a bas-relief with a scene from the life of this Jesuit saint. On the side, stand out images of St. Aloysius Gonzaga and St. Stanislaus Kostka. The central niche is occupied by an 18th century sculpture of St. Thomas of Villanova originally from the Old Cathedral. On the side wall there is a tombstone referring to the institution of the chapel, as well as the heraldic coat of arms of its founders.

The altarpiece of the Chapel of the Life of the Virgin includes a sculptural group representing The Coronation by the Most Holy Trinity, framed by scenes of the life of Our Lady. On the niches, the Annunciation and the Visitation on the right side, and The Holy Family and the Assumption on the left side; the predella exhibits the Birth, the Presentation and the Bethrotal of Mary. In the upper section, there stands a sculpture of the Immaculate Conception; underneath there are painted symbols of the Marian litany.

This space is home to the Brigantine of Our Lady of the Good Death, which goes out in processions.

The Chapel of Our Lady of the Snows features an 18th century altarpiece with the Child flanked by angles. In the niches, the sculptures of St. Anna and Our Lady and St. Michael; up and above, the Celestial Glory.  On one of the side walls, a stone refers to the institution of the chapel by the Brotherhood of this invocation.

The Chapel of St. Ignatius is presided over by the image of the holy founder of the Jesuits, surrounded by images of Jesuit saints: St. Francis Borgia and St. Francis Xavier, St. Stanislaus Kostka and St. Aloysius Gonzaga. In the upper section, there is an image of the Immaculate Conception flanked by St. George and St. Francis of Assisi, St. John the Baptist and St. Christopher. Of note in the predella the salient panels with scenes of the life of St. Ignatius: The Vision at La Storta, The Apparition of the Virgin, The Vision at Manresa, St. Ignatius Stays in Freezing Water.

The altarpiece of the Chapel of Resurrection features two sections depicting The Resurrection of Christ and The Appearance of the Risen Christ to Mary, both attributed to José Pereira da Costa.  Above the altar one can see a sculpture of St. Liberata.

The Chapel of St. Anthony features at the centre of its altarpiece a sculpture of the Portuguese saint. Underneath, one can see The Virgin of St. Luke, possibly by Andrea Francia (1639). Columns decorated with antonine motifs frame the ensemble. The sculptural group of The Coronation of the Virgin Surrounded by Angels stands out at the top, with lateral images of St. John the Evangelist and St. John the Baptist; on the pediment, are the insignia of the Society of Jesus in a cartouche sustained by angels.

The Chapel of the Crucifixion of the Lord has a statue of Christ Crucified.  To the right, there is an image of St. Mary Magdalene, and in the attic a bas-relief of God the Father. 

This chapel also features the Manueline baptismal font by Pero and Filipe Henriques, originally from the Old Cathedral, with weapons and motto – NEQUID NIMIS – of D. Jorge de Almeida, Bishop of Coimbra.

In the transept, the dome lit by a roof lantern and decorated with the emblem of the Society of Jesus stands out.  

Two large altarpieces cum reliquaries in gilded and polychrome wood, symmetrically arranged and with complementing iconography, totally fill both extremities of the transept.

The right-side altarpiece has at its centre a sculptural group of the Holy Family and at the top corners images of the evangelists St. John and St. Luke. On the cartouche, the M monogram with crown.  At the base of the altarpiece there is a recumbent sculpture of Our Lord in death.

The left-side altarpiece shows the Coronation of the Virgin by the Holy Trinity framed by angels with symbols of the Marian Litany and images of the evangelists St. Mark and St. Matthew at the top; above, the emblem of the Society of Jesus.  At the base there is a recumbent statue of Our Lady of the Good Death, by Guilherme Thedim (1900-1985).

Flanking the central recesses of both altars are two major panels of reliquaries currently empty.  The set is completed by torchbearer angels and cherubs profusely decorated.

Both side altars are from late 17th and early 18th centuries, and they are currently dedicated to the Immaculate Conception and to Our Lady of Fatima, the latter again with a sculpture by Guilherme Thedim. 

This space is also home to two 17th century paintings, The Adoration of the Shepherds and The Adoration of the Magi.

In the apse, a monumental altarpiece completed in 1698 in gilded wood and lavishly decorated, frames four statues of Jesuit saints: St. Ignatius of Loyola and St. Francis Xavier flanking the central painting of The Birth of Jesus; closer to the Eucharistic throne, St Francis Borgia and St. Stanislaus Kostka.

The remarkable ensemble of the banquette of the altar, originally from the Old Cathedral, consists of a crucifix, several candlesticks and four busts of saints – St. Peter, St. Paul, St. Francis and St. Lucia –, all in embossed silver by António Neves Nunes and João Frederico Ludovice, from early 18th century.

The magnificent choir-stalls from the 17th century were built by Bishop João de Melo (1684-1704). Above them, there is a sequence of paintings with scenes of the life of Our Lady. On the right side:  Birth, Presentation and Betrothal of Mary, Annunciation, Visitation, Nativity and Adoration of the Magi; on the left side: Presentation of Jesus at the Temple, The Holy Family, Jesus among the Doctors, Wedding at Cana, Death, Assumption and Coronation of the Virgin. On each side, there are two paintings from the 18th century depicting the evangelists Matthew and Luke, by Manuel da Silva.

Two organs from the late 18th century, set on side stands, complete the apse.

The sacristy is home to a set of paintings featuring Jesuit themes.

In the top tier, a cycle on the life of St. Ignatius Loyola, by Domingos da Cunha (1598-1644), with:  Apparition of St.  Peter, St. Ignatius Gives His Clothes to a Poor Man, St. Ignatius’ Abduction in Manresa, The Vision at Manresa, Senator Trevisano Finds St. Ignatius Asleep, Journey to Jerusalem, St. Ignatius at the Mount of Olives, St. Ignatius wrongly Taken by a Spy and Humiliated, St. Ignatius Stays in Freezing Water, Diogo de Gouveia Apologizes to St.  Ignatius, The Vision at La Storta, St. Ignatius Bading Farewell to St. Francis Xavier, Approval of the Society of Jesus by Pope Paul III, Death of St. Ignatius, Funerals of St. Ignatius.

The lower series includes scenes of St. Francis Xavier's life, attributed to Manuel Henriques (1593-1653), namely:  Marian Vision, St. Francis Xavier Assuaging the Thirst of His Traveling Companions, Raising a Caste Leader from the Dead, Imprecating the Invasions of the badegãs in Camorim, Preaching at the court of the Japanese Prince of Yamaguchi; as well as two famous portraits of St. Francis Xavier and St. Ignatius of Loyola.

Other paintings complete the set:  Circumcision of the Child Jesus, St. Thomas of Villanova distributing Alms, by Gaspar de la Huerta (1645-1714), the Adoration of the Shepherds, The Mystical Founding of the Society of Jesus, as well as representations of the evangelists St. Mark and St. John.

III . THE SOCIETY OF JESUS

The Society of Jesus was founded in 1540 by St. Ignatius of Loyola and aims at the defence and propagation of the faith and the progress of souls in Christian life and doctrine.  Francis Xavier, of Navarro origin, and Simão Rodrigues, Portuguese, were among its founding members.

The Jesuits came to Portugal at King John III’s call, to promote the evangelization in overseas regions.  The College of Jesus in Coimbra was the Society's first institute in Portugal, contributing to the training of a great number of missionaries, who then left for Africa, Brazil, India, China and Japan, following the Portuguese maritime expansion and the discovery of new lands and new people.

With an important role in education and the development of science, combined with a great missionary zeal, the Jesuits promoted the devotion to the Blessed Trinity and the Eucharist, practicing and inculcating the cult of the saints and martyrs.

Ad Maiorem Dei Gloriam – to the greatest Glory of God – is the motto of the Society of Jesus.  Its emblem includes the IHS monogram (Iesus Hominum Salvator – Jesus Saviour of Men) and a cross with three nails over a radiant sun – an allusion to the Passion and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Many of these symbols are printed in liturgical vessels as decorative complements of the Jesuit artistic heritage.

References

• AZEVEDO, Carlos, (dir.) Dicionário da História Religiosa de Portugal, Lisboa, Ed. Círculo de Leitores, 2000.
• CRAVEIRO, Maria de Lurdes e TRIGUEIROS, António Júlio (SJ): A Sé Nova de Coimbra. Coimbra: Direcção Regional de Cultura do Centro, 2011
• FIOLHAIS, Carlos, FRANCO, José Eduardo, Os Jesuítas em Portugal e a ciência: Continuidades e ruturas (Séculos XVI-XVIII), Brotéria, 183, 2016

See Also