Church of Nosso Senhor do Bonfim, Catholic church in Salvador, Brazil
The Church of Nosso Senhor do Bonfim is a building with white facades, three entrances and two bell towers on Montserrat hill in Salvador. The structure follows neoclassical lines with an interior of plain blue tiles, a narrow central aisle between wooden pews, and a gilded main altar that houses the statue from Portugal.
Captain Teodósio Rodrigues de Faria brought the statue of Nosso Senhor do Bonfim from near Porto to Salvador in 1740 and began the church construction in 1754. The building replaced a simple chapel and became an important religious reference point for sailors and families arriving from Portugal to this region of Brazil.
Women sell colored ribbons around the pews and walls, and visitors tie them to their wrists with three knots for three wishes. This practice blends Catholic customs with Afro-Brazilian elements and makes the site a meeting point for different religious expressions that coexist in Salvador.
The building opens for regular services, and visitors can observe from the rear during Mass as long as they remain silent. The site sits on a hill, so several steps lead to the main entrance, and access may become slippery after rain.
A chamber beside the altar area stores hundreds of wax replicas of individual body parts hanging from the ceiling and walls. These objects symbolize gratitude or requests for healing and reflect popular devotion that connects medical hope with religious trust.
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