Dom Pedro IV heart relic attracts 4,000 visitors in Porto

An exhibition of the heart of Dom Pedro IV attracted approximately 4,400 visitors to the Noble Hall of the Igreja da Lapa in Porto. The three-day event, held between last Friday and Sunday, was the first opportunity in four years to view the relic.

Dom Pedro IV, who reigned in Portugal and served as the first emperor of Brazil (as Dom Pedro I), donated his heart to the city of Porto. The exhibition was a collaborative effort between the Porto City Council and the Irmandade da Lapa. The program included solemn memorial services to honor the monarch.

The relic, which has been preserved in formaldehyde for nearly two hundred years, will remain in the main chapel of the Igreja da Lapa following the conclusion of the exhibition. The event coincided with the anniversary of the monarch's death on September 24, 1834.