Our Lady of Guadalupe (Serpa)

The patron saint of the deep Alentejo · Serpa (Beja)

At the top of Monte de São Gens, above Serpa, a white Alentejo hermitage with whitewashed domes guards Our Lady of Guadalupe, patron saint of the municipality and one of the oldest devotions in the town.

Origin and history

The current hermitage is a white, whitewashed, vernacular Alentejo building dating from the early 16th century, perched atop a hill within a walled courtyard. The bell tower and main altarpiece were added in the 18th century. The venerated image dates from the 15th century.

The devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe in Serpa is, according to tradition, one of the oldest in the town, dating back to the 14th century; the name links it to the ancient Hispanic "Guadalupe" devotion, distinct from the Mexican one. On December 1, 1946, the Bishop of Beja, José do Patrocínio Dias, consecrated the municipality of Serpa to Our Lady of Guadalupe. Every Easter Sunday, the image is carried in procession to the town.

It should not be confused with the Mexican Guadalupe or with the one in Extremadura: it is the proper invocation of Serpa, in the Lower Alentejo.