Igreja Senhor dos Passos, Catholic church in the center of Feira de Santana, Brazil
Igreja Senhor dos Passos is a church with neo-Gothic architecture located in downtown Feira de Santana. The exterior features walls covered with a special mortar mixture and large stained glass windows that display depictions of the twelve apostles.
The first chapel and cemetery, built by Colonel Felipe Ferreira de Cerqueira beside his home, were demolished in 1864; the land was exchanged for a plot across the square. A committee chaired by José Alves Boaventura raised funds for a new church, designed by engineer Manoel Accioli Ferreira Silva. The first Mass was celebrated on 18 July 1929, and construction ran about 53 years in total.
The church's name refers to the Senhor dos Passos, the suffering Christ of the Passion, a devotion brought to Feira de Santana by colonel Felipe Ferreira de Cerqueira, who founded the original chapel. The parish was elevated to Archdiocesan Sanctuary in May 2024, the first in the metropolitan region, and the title is displayed in its liturgical celebrations.
The church stands on Avenida Senhor dos Passos in the city centre, on the site swapped for land across the square after the 1864 demolition. It was closed in 2010 over structural safety problems and reopened on 17 July 2012 after work by Ipac and Sucab. The 25-metre tower begun in 1951 is the landmark to look for when approaching.
In May 2024 the church received the status of Archdiocesan Sanctuary, making it the first in the metropolitan region of Feira de Santana. This recent recognition highlights the growing spiritual importance of the site for the wider area.
The community of curious travelers
AroundUs brings together thousands of curated places, local tips, and hidden gems, enriched daily by 92,891 contributors worldwide.