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History and Religion Converge at Sao Paulo Basilica de Sao Bento Church
The Sao Paulo Basilica de Sao Bento Church has a lengthy and inspired history, stretching back into the earliest days of Sao Paulo’s beginnings. The basilica includes the church, monastery, and center of learning, and thus there are many things to see and learn while visiting this very important site of Brazilian history.
The Benedictine Monks arrived in Sao Paulo around 1598, and several of the monks there founded a small chapel that would become the hub of Benedictine presence within the city. In May of 1635, the first abbot of Sao Paulo was elected by the name of Friar Alvaro Carvajal. Amazingly enough, monks still train here at the monastery today, and the church still operates with regular services and sacraments. Currently, there are approximately 40 monks and novices working at the Basilica, mostly native to Brazil but with several international attendants.
Today’s abbot at the Sao Paulo Basilica de Sao Bento Church is Sun Mathias Tolentino Braga, who was blessed into office in May 2006. The needs of all the monks are met as they live and work in and around the Basilica, and in 1999, the monastery opened its own little public shop to sell some of their delicious foods: cakes, biscuits, breads, and other treats can be purchased from the monastery shop on Sundays after 10am mass, Monday through Friday from 7am until 6pm, and Saturdays from 7:30am until noon.
The hours of open visiting time to the public at the Sao Paulo Basilica de Sao Bento Church are subject to monastic duties, and thus it is a good idea to check whether or not the facilities will be open before planning your visit. Normally, the church is open Saturday through Thursday from 6am until noon, and again from 2pm to 6pm, with only the afternoon hours held on Fridays. Monday and Saturday also have Gregorian chants at 7am. The telephone number for the basilica is (11)3328-8799, and the clerks there would be pleased to assist you in finding a suitable time to visit the premises. Should you wish to attend mass, this is held on Sundays at 10am and is accompanied by a choir that performs Gregorian chants.
The importance of the Sao Paulo Basilica de Sao Bento Church in Sao Paulo’s history simply cannot be understated – in fact, in May 2007, Pope Benedict XVI visited the historic complex on his first visit to Brazil. Not only that, but the College of Sao Bento still offers courses in philosophy and languages, which are open to both religious and secular students. On other occasions, the church at the basilica will host concerts for the public, typically performed in other languages, with interpreters provided – but perhaps more interesting than that is the organ inside the church which has 6,000 sound pipes!
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