History and Architecture of the Church of Santa Teresa D’Avila da Terceira Ordem do Carmo
The Church of Santa Teresa D’Ávila da Terceira Ordem do Carmo is located in the Pátio do Carmo, part of the Holy Recife, next to the famous Basilica of the same name.
This sacred space is one of the treasures of Pernambuco’s religious heritage, reflecting the region’s rich history and Baroque architecture.
Video about the Church of St Teresa of Avila of the Third Order of Mount Carmel
Igreja de Santa Teresa D'Ávila da Terceira Ordem do Carmo
Church architecture
Next to the Carmo Basilica in Recife is a beautiful church with a pediment reminiscent of the basilica itself.
This is the Church of Santa Teresa da Ordem Terceira do Carmo, built between 1700 and 1837. It is considered one of the most beautiful baroque churches in Pernambuco.
Overshadowed by its famous neighbour, and tucked away at the end of a corridor of beautiful palm trees, this church usually goes unnoticed by most passers-by hurrying through the centre of Recife.
The construction of the Church of Santa Teresa D’Ávila da Terceira Ordem do Carmo was completed in 1710 (consecrated in 1835) after ten years of work.
If we compare this with the eighty years it took to build the Carmo Basilica, we can say that the church was built in much less time, which shows the willingness of the members of the Third Order of Carmo to invest all the necessary resources to build it quickly and with the utmost luxury.
It’s important to note that the members of the order were mostly merchants and plantation owners, which made such a project possible.
To this day, the Third Order of Carmel is made up of lay people, i.e. people who are not part of the priesthood (there are no nuns or brothers).
St Teresa of Avila
Our patron saint, St Teresa of Avila (or St Teresa of Jesus), was born in the province of Avila in the kingdom of Castile (Spain) and lived between 1515 and 1582.
She lived a life of exemplary devotion to prayer, played a key role in the reform of the Order of Carmel and was one of the most important writers on ecclesiastical subjects.
St Teresa had a remarkable talent for describing her own personal experiences to explain the four stages of prayer: Contemplation, Silence, Union and Rapture.
Despite her devotion, she was persecuted by the Inquisition of the Catholic Church because of the way she expressed her ideas and because her writings dealt with “spiritual orgasm”.
There is evidence that she was not killed because of her father’s strong influence with the king.
Collections and architectural styles
A visit to the Church of Santa Tereza D’Ávila of the Third Order of Carmo gives us the opportunity to see the largest collection of paintings in honour of the saint in the world.
Like the other churches from this period, its architectural style is Baroque in its final phase, full of the characteristic Rococo flourishes.
The paintings in the nave are by João de Deus Sepúlveda (18th century), while those in the entrance are by the freed slave from Pernambuco, Manoel de Jesus Pinto.
It’s important to note that at the time, blacks were not allowed to attend church.
The nave of the church contains a rare crystal chandelier, but its main attraction are the paintings on the ceiling.
Among the rarities are a painting of the saint in intimate clothing (for the time, of course) and two others depicting the Bad Thing.
The side altars depict six stages of the Passion of Christ, and an important detail of the gilding technique is that, unlike the Golden Chapel, where gold leaf was applied, here gold powder was used by blowing it over the fresh paint.
The Main Altar contains the images of Jesus Christ and Our Lady of Mount Carmel in the centre, with St Joseph on the right (a rarity, “in boots”) and the patron saint St Teresa on the left.
It is noteworthy that the image of Jesus shows him with his head to the right and with very suffering features in the last moment of his life, one of only two images in the world depicted in this way (the other being in Ouro Preto).
In the side niches are images of St Elias, the spiritual father of all Carmelites, and his successor St Elisha.
The smaller images at the bottom are of John Paul II and St Teresa. On the left side of the altar is a painting of the transversion of the heart of St Teresa, one of the most important moments in her life.
The sacristy and tombs
The Sacristy of the Church of St Teresa of Avila of the Third Order of Carmel is closed to visitors, but it’s worth insisting on a visit.
In addition to the 18th century colonial furniture, there are beautiful images of St Teresa of Jesus, Our Lady of Solitude and St Joseph, as well as reproductions of the most important passages from the life of St Teresa of Avila.
Finally, the area next to the church contains the tombs of important members of the Third Order of Carmel, such as that of the Baron of Casa Forte and others.
Conclusion
The Church of St. Teresa of Avila of the Third Order of Carmel is an outstanding example of Recife’s religious and artistic heritage that deserves to be visited and appreciated for its rich history and architectural beauty.
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