ParóquiaSãoFranciscoXavier

In the neighborhood of Tijuca, between the Igreja dos Capuchinhos and the Basílica de Santa Therezinha, stands the Church of São Francisco Xavier do Engenho Velho.

The history of the Church of São Francisco Xavier is intertwined with the very formation of Tijuca. In 1565, after the founding of the city of São Sebastião do Rio de Janeiro, the area of what is now the Tijuca neighborhood was occupied by Jesuit priests, who built their farm and mill there (which became known as Engenho Velho). The chapel itself was built in the 1580s and had the involvement of Father José de Anchieta. The tribute to São Francisco Xavier possibly dates from after 1622, the year the saint was canonized.

Image description: This is an old black-and-white photograph of a historic church. The church is located in the center of the image, with a central tower and two smaller side towers. To the left of the church, there is a lower, simpler building. In the background, there are some trees and a small structure. In front of the church, there are people walking and gathering.

With the expulsion of the Jesuits in 1759 by order of the Marquis of Pombal, the church came to belong to the Curato (ecclesiastical geographic zone of the Catholic Church) of São Francisco Xavier. This church's prominence in the region's religious and social life turned it into the central hub around which the Tijuca neighborhood developed.

Since its construction, the church has undergone successive renovations and interventions, one of which was supported by Duque de Caxias, who lived in a mansion on Rua do Andaraí Pequeno (present-day Conde de Bonfim) and was a devout parishioner.

Photo from inside the Parish

Image description: This is a photograph of a church interior with classical architecture. From left to right, we see tall columns and windows letting in natural light. In the center, there is a large painting above the altar, depicting a religious scene. In front of the altar, there are people seated in rows of wooden pews. At the top, the ceiling is vaulted, with hanging lights illuminating the space. On the right, we also see columns and windows similar to those on the opposite side.

Nowadays, the church is reached after the visitor walks along a path lined with imperial palm trees. On each side of the main door, there are two plaques bearing quotes from Caxias and from Father José de Anchieta. Inside, there are three relics of great historical value: the oldest baptismal font still in use in Rio - probably dating from 1627; the image of Our Lady of Sorrows, a gift from Empress D. Teresa Cristina in 1880; and a fragment of the arm bone of Saint Francis Xavier, donated by Pope Pius XI in 1931, when the parish was joined to that of São João Latrão (Rome), which is considered the mother church of all Catholic temples.

Image description: This is a photograph of a church bell. The image shows a tower with a bell at the bottom, decorated with colorful tiles. The bell sits within a rounded opening, protected by a metal grille. Above the bell, there is a dome-shaped structure, adorned with white and yellow tiles. The top of the tower is crowned by an iron cross. The sky in the background is light blue, cloudless.

Tradition makes this church one of the favorites for weddings held in the neighborhood. It was one of the chosen sites for a visit by Pope Francis in 2013, during World Youth Day.