Igreja e convento de São João Novo, Catholic church in the historic center of Porto, Portugal
Igreja de São João Novo is a Catholic church in the historic center of Porto, situated on the Largo de São João Novo near the Douro River. Built on a Latin cross plan, its outer walls partly incorporate sections of an old defensive wall that can still be seen today.
The church was built in the mid-1500s on the site of an earlier hermitage known as São João Belmonte. It originally belonged to a convent of Augustinian friars, founded at the end of the 16th century.
A lifelike statue of Jesus Christ, known as Senhor dos Passos, is kept inside the church and carried through the streets during a traditional annual procession in Porto. This procession is one of the most visible expressions of local religious life that visitors can witness today.
The church is easy to reach on foot from the rest of Porto's old town, sitting on an elevated square near the Douro River. Entry is free and it is open Monday to Saturday, but closed on Sundays.
The main altarpiece depicting the Vision of St. Augustine was painted between 1757 and 1766 by João Glama Stroberle, an artist of Portuguese origin with German roots. Right beside it stands an elaborate mausoleum whose creator has never been identified.
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