Our Lady of Good Success of Boa Viagem Church

　　    The devotion of the people of Salvador to Our Lady of Good Success dates back many years, so far in fact that its origins are almost intertwined with the city’s founding history. When Tomé de Sousa, Brazil’s first governor-general, established Salvador in 1549, he commissioned the construction of a small chapel dedicated to the Virgin Mary. The current church building is the third version. The second was built on the same site in 1623. In 1736, new plans were sent to Portugal, and the structure was rebuilt using Lioz stone. The materials for the church were gradually shipped from Europe to Brazil bit by bit, resulting in an eighty-year-long construction process, from 1765 to 1849.      Within the church courtyard, there is a fountain, and beside it, a marble staircase leads to the parish hall. The façade exhibits Neoclassical features, with bell towers diagonally positioned on either side. The interior is decorated in the Baroque style, and the ceiling frescoes were painted by José Joaquim da Rocha in 1772. Both the Church of Our Lady of Good Success of Boa Viagem and all the collections within it have been designated as national heritage sites under protection. The famous Sister Dulce is also buried in this church.  

　　     Brasília, Brazil