The “little saint” of Arcozelo: know the intriguing story behind this photo

Born in Portugal in 1835, Maria Adelaide de Sao Jose and Sousa Gama could hardly imagine that she would ever be considered a saint. Although its sanctity is not officially recognized by the Catholic Church, Santinha de Arcozelo, as it is known, arouses the devotion of many Portuguese and foreigners who visit the chapel where their well-preserved remains are kept, in the city of Arcozelo - located about 300 km from Lisbon.

The antecedents

As a child, Maria Adelaide had a fragile and vulnerable physical condition, most likely due to the damp facilities of a convent in which she lived for much of her childhood. At that time, she lived in the city of Vila Nova de Gaia.

Even after moving to the city of Porto, her health did not improve. It was then that the doctors suggested that she reside in a coastal region where pines and eucalyptus were abundant. In May 1876, she would arrive in Arcozelo, her last home.

There, his health improved considerably, and it was not long before charity became one of his most recognized virtues. She helped the needy with the profits from the sale of lace and pastels she produced herself. He had a real pleasure in making the lives of the city's children less arduous: whenever he could, he distributed bread, sweets and clothes.

What Maria Adelaide did not expect was that the illness that had led her to live in Arcozelo would return and worsen her health. In September 1885, when she was 50, she died of tuberculosis.

The exhumation of the remains

Thirty years later, the grave where she had been buried was sold, and upon opening her coffin, those involved in her exhumation came across an absolutely preserved body that exuded an intriguing scent of roses. Their remains were covered with stone carbide, watered with nitric acid and buried in a mass grave - as if they wanted to bury that discovery forever.

But despite the requests for secrecy, the people who helped with the exhumation could not resist and told acquaintances about what had happened. Before long, all the residents of the city and its surroundings were aware of the case and mobilized to dig up Maria Adelaide's well-preserved body.

On February 27, 1916, the "Santa", still intact, was unearthed. Then they washed her, dressed her in new clothes, and placed her in an urn that allowed everyone to see her remains. Eight years later, Santa Maria Adelaide was moved to a new chapel and the urn where her body was opened again. The scent of roses continued to exude.

Vandalism and Devotion

In 1983, a man entered the chapel with the intention of damaging the remains of the saint. With a sledgehammer in his hand, he struck her face, making it look misshapen, which remains to this day.

Despite the incident, the devotion of the Portuguese remained intact. Beside the chapel where his body is exposed, there is a small museum that tells his story and a house of miracles, where devotees leave objects in thanks for the graces bestowed. Items include over 6, 000 wedding dresses, christening and communion dresses, coins and banknotes from over 25 countries, handicrafts, prosthetics, hair pieces, photographs and saints.

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Thank you, Antonio Simões Junior, for the suggestion of this agenda.

* Posted on 11/11/2016