Vila Viçosa and Peneda Sanctuaries Reopened After Restoration

The Ermida de São João Baptista in Vila Viçosa, part of the Évora Archdiocese, was inaugurated on 30 July after a joint restoration effort by the municipality and the parish church workshop. Archbishop D. Francisco Senra Coelho praised the work as a “timely and meritorious requalification” and highlighted its role in Vila Viçosa’s UNESCO World Heritage candidacy. Culture Secretary Alberto Santos called the project important for the town and for Portugal.

In northern Portugal, the Diocesan Sanctuary of Nossa Senhora da Peneda in Viana do Castelo reopened its church on 5 August, coinciding with the 826th anniversary of the Marian apparition. Chaplain Padre César Maciel said the reopening restores the sanctuary’s spiritual life and supports local pilgrimage. The works, part of a broader revitalisation plan, also aim to boost the local economy and preserve the monument’s national heritage status.