Church of Our Lady of the Rosary, Catholic church in Vitoria, Brazil

The Church of Our Lady of the Rosary is a Catholic place of worship built with baroque style and Portuguese architectural influences in central Vitoria. Inside you will see four altars, a bell tower, and a small museum displaying religious objects and vestments.

Construction started in 1765 when an Afro-Brazilian brotherhood took the lead in building this sanctuary, completing it within two years using local workers. The project grew from this community's determination to establish their own worship space.

The church keeps the image of Saint Benedict, taken in 1833 from the São Francisco convent by brothers Elias de Abreu, Antônio Motta and Domingos do Rosário with enslaved devotees; the dispute between the Peroás of the Rosary and the Caramurus of the convent survives in the Festa de São Benedito. A museum holds sacred pieces, old vestments and a 450 kg andor carried by 14 men chosen on 27 December.

The church stands apart from the original settlement core, next to a cemetery built for Black brothers whom public cemeteries refused. It is in the historic centre, within walking distance of the Cathedral and the Convent of São Francisco. The church was part of the Visitar project in 2006, which opened historic properties to visitors.

The church keeps the image of Saint Benedict, taken from the São Francisco convent on 23 September 1833 by brothers Elias de Abreu, Antônio Motta and Domingos do Rosário with the help of devotees, mostly enslaved people. The theft began the feud between the Peroás of the Rosary and the Caramurus of the convent, recalled today in the Festa de São Benedito.