Church of Our Lady of the Conception, Colonial church in Almofala, Brazil

The Church of Our Lady of the Conception is a Baroque church in the Almofala district of Itarema, Ceará, built in the Jesuit architectural tradition. Its design's author is unknown, but José Lopes Barbalho and Francisco Roza worked on the building, completed in 1712 under the Brotherhood of Our Lady of the Conception.

Jesuit missionaries built a first chapel here to evangelise the Tremembé during the reign of João V. The present church was completed in 1712 under the Brotherhood of Our Lady of the Conception; José Lopes Barbalho and Francisco Roza worked on it. A moving dune buried it in 1897, and it re-emerged between 1940 and 1943.

The church is dedicated to Our Lady of the Conception, whose Brotherhood completed the building in 1712. The Tremembé resisted the transfer of its images and bell to Tanque do Meio in the 1940s, and in January 1944 the images returned to the altars. Socorro Acioli set part of her novel "Oração para Desaparecer" here after talking with local residents.

Visitors can enter the building year-round, but access is on foot along unpaved paths on level ground. The site has little shade, so bring water and sun protection, especially in the afternoon hours.

In 1897 a moving dune buried the church; it re-emerged between 1940 and 1943. Father Antônio Thomas then moved its images and bell to Tanque do Meio, in Itarema, against Tremembé resistance, and in January 1944 the images returned to the altars.