Saint George Parish Church in Rio Elevated to Sanctuary

The São Jorge Parish Church, in Quintino, in the northern part of Rio de Janeiro, was elevated to the status of a sanctuary this Thursday (23), when the feast day of the warrior saint is celebrated.

The official announcement was made that morning during a Mass attended by authorities and presided over by Cardinal Dom Orani Tempesta. In a social media post, the church administration celebrated the news.

“A milestone of faith, devotion and recognition of our people’s entire journey, who for years have kept the flame of Saint George alive in Quintino. Today, more than ever, we celebrate this achievement with hearts full of gratitude and hope!” the church’s Instagram account said.

In the Catholic Church, a sanctuary is a special designation granted by a bishop to a church because of its religious importance, pilgrimages or particular devotion.

The parish was officially established in 1945, when the then archbishop of São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro, Dom Jaime de Barros Câmara, appointed Carmelo Loréfice as the first parish priest of São Jorge Parish.

According to the church, devotion at the site began when several women gathered every late afternoon to pray the rosary on the porch of a house on Clarimundo de Melo Street, where the sanctuary now stands.

After seeing this practice, a Portuguese man brought an image of Saint George from his homeland and gave it to the women.

“Some time later, the land was acquired where the chapel dedicated to Saint George was built, very simple and modest, on top of a hill that was difficult to reach, as 54 narrow steps led us to the chapel’s main door,” the parish says.

Saint George

Saint George’s Day has been a public holiday in the state of Rio de Janeiro since 2008. In 2019, he was officially named the state’s patron saint.

Saint George is considered the patron saint of knights, soldiers, scouts, fencers and archers. In Roman Catholicism, Brazil’s largest religion, he represents courage, protection and the idea that good triumphs over evil.

Saint George is one of the Catholic Church’s most popular saints and is also venerated in other religions, including the Anglican and Orthodox churches. He also features in religious syncretism, which occurs when elements of different religious traditions are combined into a single practice or belief.

In the Afro-Brazilian religions of Umbanda and Candomblé, the saint is often associated with Ogum, the warrior orixá, lord of iron and battles. In some regions, such as Bahia, he may also be linked to Oxóssi, the orixá of hunting and abundance.

Source: Agência Brasil