The Chapel of Boa Nova, also known as the Sanctuary of Nossa Senhora da Boa Nova, is located in the parish of Terena (São Pedro), municipality of Alandroal, district and archdiocese of Évora.
It is a very old Marian sanctuary, believed to be the result of the Christianization of pagan cults, since in the vicinity of the town of Terena the ruins of the temple of the Endovelic god remain. The historical references to this sanctuary date back to the 13th century, since in the Cantigas de Santa Maria, by King Afonso X of Castile, there are some compositions dedicated to Santa Maria de Terena.
The temple is a work of the 14th century, having the characteristic of being a rare Portuguese example of a church-fortress that has arrived practically intact today. The origin of the invocation Senhora da Boa Nova seems to be linked to the legend of Fermosíssima Maria (Dona Maria, Queen of Castile), the daughter of King D. Afonso IV of Portugal who went to the Portuguese court to ask her father to help her husband at the Battle of Salado. Legend has it that the Queen was in this place, in the vicinity of Terena, when she received the good news, hence the birth of the Good News.
The cult remains very much alive, this sanctuary being the stage for a great pilgrimage that is celebrated on the first weekend after Easter. The importance of this pilgrimage in the region is so important that Pascoela Monday (the main day of the festival) is the municipal holiday of the municipality of Alandroal. The Sanctuary of Nossa Senhora da Boa Nova was classified as a National Monument in 1910.
It is a very old Marian sanctuary, believed to be the result of the Christianization of pagan cults, since in the vicinity of the town of Terena the ruins of the temple of the Endovelic god remain. The historical references to this sanctuary date back to the 13th century, since in the Cantigas de Santa Maria, by King Afonso X of Castile, there are some compositions dedicated to Santa Maria de Terena.
The temple is a work of the 14th century, having the characteristic of being a rare Portuguese example of a church-fortress that has arrived practically intact today. The origin of the invocation Senhora da Boa Nova seems to be linked to the legend of Fermosíssima Maria (Dona Maria, Queen of Castile), the daughter of King D. Afonso IV of Portugal who went to the Portuguese court to ask her father to help her husband at the Battle of Salado. Legend has it that the Queen was in this place, in the vicinity of Terena, when she received the good news, hence the birth of the Good News.
The cult remains very much alive, this sanctuary being the stage for a great pilgrimage that is celebrated on the first weekend after Easter. The importance of this pilgrimage in the region is so important that Pascoela Monday (the main day of the festival) is the municipal holiday of the municipality of Alandroal. The Sanctuary of Nossa Senhora da Boa Nova was classified as a National Monument in 1910.
