Capela Senhor dos Passos da Santa Casa de Misericórdia, Catholic chapel in Santa Casa de Misericórdia complex, Porto Alegre, Brazil
The Capela Senhor dos Passos is a neogothic church building within the Santa Casa de Misericórdia complex, distinguished by two symmetrical towers and elaborate stained glass windows. The interior features Italian wall paintings created by Emilio Sessa in the 1960s.
Construction began in 1819 under provedor Luiz Corrêa Teixeira de Bragança, and by 3 May 1821 a procession had carried the image of Senhor dos Passos from the Matriz to the chapel. The nave and main altar were inaugurated in 1825, and the chapel opened officially with the Santa Casa on 1 January 1826, though works continued: the bell tower was built in 1831 and the roof tiles replaced in 1835. A major renovation from 1873, under provedor José Antônio Coelho Júnior, enlarged the chancel and added four carved altars, and the chapel was reinaugurated in 1874.
The chapel centers on devotion to the Lord of the Steps, a figure that has been central to local religious processions for generations. This focus shapes how the interior looks and how people use the space in their faith practices today.
The chapel stands inside the Santa Casa de Misericórdia complex, and the sources record no separate public entrance or staircase of its own. It is an active Catholic place of worship, so visitors should dress modestly and keep quiet during services. The building has been repeatedly enlarged and remodelled, so expect a small, altered interior rather than the original 1819 chapel.
The chapel's 1874 reinauguration after a major reform was marked by a Te Deum of thanksgiving, plus masses and responsories for deceased benefactors and Brothers of the Santa Casa. The 1873-1874 works added four carved altars, two tribunes, a baptismal font and entrance tiles.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 92,791 contributors worldwide.