The Church of Our Lady of the Rosary of Black Men, located in Recife, Pernambuco, is an important historical and cultural landmark dating back to the Brazilian colonial period.
This church is symbolic of its association with the Brotherhood of Our Lady of the Rosary of Black Men, a confraternity formed by enslaved and freed Africans who played a crucial role in preserving Afro-Brazilian religious and cultural traditions.
History and significance
- Foundation: The Church of Our Lady of the Rosary of the Black Men was built in the 17th century, with its foundation dating back to 1630. It was built by members of the Brotherhood of the Rosary of Black Men, made up of enslaved Africans and their descendants. The construction of the church served as a space for worship, sociability and cultural resistance at a time when black people had few freedoms.
- Architecture: The church is an example of Brazilian colonial architecture, with simple and robust elements, typical of buildings built by black brotherhoods. The façade of the church is characterised by its sobriety and the interior, although modest, has altars dedicated to saints venerated by the black community, such as São Benedito and Nossa Senhora do Rosário.
- Brotherhood of Our Lady of the Rosary of Black Men: This brotherhood played an important role in the social and religious life of the black community in Recife. It provided a support network, organised religious and social celebrations and helped to buy the freedom of enslaved members. The Brotherhood is still active and continues to promote religious celebrations such as the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary.
Cultural and religious significance
- Religious syncretism: The Church and the Brotherhood are important for understanding religious syncretism in Brazil, where Catholic traditions have been mixed with African religious practices. Devotion to Our Lady of the Rosary, for example, is associated in Candomblé with the orisha oxum.
- Historical Heritage: The Church of Nossa Senhora do Rosário dos Homens Pretos is considered a cultural heritage site in Recife, representing the resistance and perseverance of Afro-Brazilian culture. It is a living reminder of the history of Africans and their descendants in Brazil and their contribution to the formation of the national identity.
- Festivals and celebrations: In addition to regular masses, the church is the centre of several important celebrations, including the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, which is marked by processions, special masses and cultural events celebrating African heritage.
To visit
- Location: The church is located in the Santo Antônio neighbourhood, in the historic centre of Recife, close to other tourist attractions such as the São José Market and the São José dos Manguinhos Church.
- Hours: The church is open to the public and it is possible to attend mass or visit the site to learn about its history and architecture. However, it is advisable to check the opening hours before visiting.
The Church of Our Lady of the Rosary of Black Men is a powerful testimony to the faith, culture and struggle of the Afro-Brazilian community in Recife, and is an essential stop for anyone wishing to understand the rich historical and cultural tapestry of the city.
Video about the history of the Church of Our Lady of the Rosary of the Black Men
Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Rosário dos Homens Pretos
Complete history of the Church of Our Lady of the Rosary of the Black Men
The Church of Our Lady of the Black Rosary in Recife, located on Larga do Rosário Street in the Santo Antônio neighbourhood and part of Holy Recife, was built in 1630 by the Brotherhood of the Black Rosary, an association formed by black slaves.
It should be noted that the Africans who were brought to Brazil as slaves belonged to different tribes (or nations), such as those from Angola, Benguela, Cambinda, Mozambique, Congo, Cassanges, among others.
Each of them had its own language (or dialect), customs (council of elders, festivals) and specific sacred and religious rituals (Xangô rites, feasts of the dead and of the Three Kings).
In the Congo in particular, the blacks had certain privileges: they could elect a king (in their mother tongue, their Muchino riá Congo) and rule over the people of the other African nations, whether they were Creoles or Africans, free or slaves.
In this sense, the first commitment of the Brotherhood of Our Lady of the Rosary of the Black Men is recorded on 8 May 1711, authorising the coronation of a king of the Congo during their celebrations.
In order to survive the pain of slavery and exile (both from their homeland and from family and friends), the slaves tried to unite in their new habitat by harmonising their ancestral rites as best they could.
In this way, religious associations provided an important link through which blacks could express their need for defence and protection, their desire for freedom, charity towards their neighbours and human solidarity.
The festivities of the Brotherhood of Our Lady of the Rosary of the Black Men therefore consisted of dances and drumming that were not part of the Catholic liturgy.
As a result, the rituals performed by these brothers were even banned by the Inquisition.
The quilombos in particular, both Palmares and the others between Cabo de Santo Agostinho and the São Francisco River, were an expression of the associative spirit of the Africans.
And this associative tendency, which originated in the quilombos (rural areas), also spread to urban areas.
The Brotherhood maintained the coronation system found in Africa, with maracatu rituals and processions, with archers at the head, two strings of bridesmaids, religious symbols, decorated dolls, alligators, cats, dignitaries and, finally, the King and Queen of the Congo, followed by musicians.
On the first Sunday of October 1645, according to the records, Henrique Dias celebrated with his black brothers in the church of Nossa Senhora do Rosário dos Homens Pretos, with all the pomp of their patron saint.
The books of the Brotherhood also record all the coronations of the kings and queens of Angola, Congo and Cambinda until 1888.
These coronations gave rise to the maracatu, one of the most beautiful and expressive manifestations of Northeastern folklore.
The Brotherhood of Our Lady of the Rosary of the Black Men, in colonial Brazil, despite the miserable condition of its members, spared no effort to build temples as rich as those erected by the nobility, either by providing free labour or by buying materials.
In this regard, there are documents drawn up by the various treasurers over the centuries. Sometimes the friars paid their debts by making sweets.
In one of the registers, for example, we read the following as a form of payment “seven patacas and 640 viola strings to the dancers and two pairs of shoes to the dancers, with an alms given to the chaplain”.
In 1739, the façade of the temple was in ruins. The confraternity decided to build a new frontispiece.
Famous carvers such as Manuel Pais de Lima (who was responsible for the frontispiece) and Manuel Alvarez passed through the Church of the Black Men, as well as a number of carpenters and joiners who worked hard for a long time to restore the building.
The reconstruction of the temple began in 1750 and was completed in 1777. Inspired by Franciscan monasteries, the church became an icon of Baroque art. In terms of style, therefore, the building is typical of those that existed in the second half of the 18th century.
The building is colonial in style, but some of the altars are rococo.
The same can be said of its façade: simple and authentically 18th century: it has a single tower, a high pediment with volutes and a rosary in place of the traditional coats of arms of Pernambuco churches.
The façade of the church has five large doors. In the niche of one of them there is a secular image of Our Lady of the Rosary from the time of the church’s foundation and an old image of St Benedict in the consistory from 1753.
Beautifully preserved are the carvings on the high altar, the panel painted on its original lining (the image of the Virgin flanked by mulatto cherubs handing the rosary to St Dominic, the inspiration of the Order) and the furniture in the sacristy. There is an art gallery in the side corridor.
The image of the patron saint, one of the most beautiful examples of Luso-Brazilian art, deserves special mention: it is life-size, made of polychrome wood, with glass eyes and silver utensils. Inside, the pilasters, architraves and arches are decorated with jasper.
With the exception of Our Lady of the Rosary, Our Lady of the Good Time and Saint Dominic, all the images on the altars are of black saints. They are São Benedito, São Baltazar, Santa Efigênia and São Moisés, Santo Antônio de Catalagirona and Santo Elesbão.
The Brotherhood’s religious system changed with the advent of the Republic, and it began to accept people of all colours, with the right to vote and be judged, as well as the right to modify religious festivals and the administrative system.
In this way, the Brotherhood of the Black Men was brought into line with the circumstances and canons of the Catholic brotherhoods and religious orders.
At the beginning of the 20th century, an unpleasant incident occurred between the Brotherhoods of São Benedito and the Third Order of São Francisco: when they moved into the Santo Antônio monastery in Recife, the Black Brothers began to feel the contempt of the Brothers of the Third Order, as well as a series of unreasonable demands from the latter – white, wealthy and prominent men.
On 29 September 1907, after a general assembly, the Black Brothers of São Benedito decided, as a result of this contempt, to go out in procession, carrying the float with the image of their patron saint – the venerated Black Saint – leaving the Church of the Third Order and asking for shelter in the temple of the Brothers of Nossa Senhora do Rosário.
Guide to Recife, Pernambuco, Bahia and Salvador
