Church of Our Lady of Misericórdia, Portuguese colonial church in Olinda, Brazil.

The Church of Our Lady of Misericórdia stands on a steep slope with a walled forecourt and an asymmetric stairway. Its simple Baroque facade, with Portuguese Renaissance echoes, has two unsupported volutes and a royal coat of arms in relief. The interior nave has whitewashed walls, remaining azulejos under the choir, and a carved ceiling with paintings of the Virgin's life around an image of Our Lady of Mercy.

The Brotherhood of the Holy House of Mercy of Olinda, Brazil's first confraternity, was founded in 1539; by 1540 a church with an attached infirmary, the country's first hospital, stood on this site. Fire destroyed the headquarters in the great fire of 1631, and the brothers left Olinda until the Dutch withdrawal of 1654. The burned temple was rebuilt on the same spot in 1655, in smaller proportions, with dates on the facade and interior running to 1771 above the transept arch. The hospital closed in 1860 and the buildings passed to the Benedictine Order in 1896; IPHAN listed the church in 1938.

The church belongs to the Brotherhood of the Holy House of Mercy of Olinda, founded in 1539 as Brazil's first confraternity. Its name honors Our Lady of Mercy, and the brotherhood ran the country's first hospital in the adjoining building. Inside, a central panel shows the Virgin of Mercy, framed by carved scenes of her life.

The church sits in Olinda's historic center on a hillside along Ladeira da Misericórdia street, surrounded by colonial-era buildings and cobblestone streets. It remains an active place of worship, so quiet and respectful behavior is expected during visits.

The Brotherhood of the Holy House of Mercy of Olinda, founded in 1539, was Brazil's first confraternity. By 1540 it ran a church with an infirmary on this site, considered the country's first hospital. After the 1631 fire the brothers left for Arraial do Bom Jesus, later ran a hospital at Engenho de São João da Várzea, and only returned after the Dutch withdrawal in 1654.