A XNUMXth century Dalmatia, in gold-embroidered silk, from the Church of St. Peter (Faro), a shell and silver nave, from the Cathedral of Faro, an image of St. Peter in marble, from the Parish Church of Portimão, or even an “aureus” by Tiberius, a Roman gold coin “from the time of Jesus”. These are just some of the favorite pieces of Father Mário Sousa, parish priest of Portimão, in the sacred art exhibition “Creio”, which opens on May 25 at the Portimão Museum.
The exhibition will show “the best that there is in the Algarve”, in terms of sacred art, being even the largest and most complete exhibition ever promoted on this theme in the region. "It will be there what the pirates did not steal," added Father Mário, speaking to Sul Informação, recalling, for example, the library of Bishop D. Jerónimo Osório, which was stolen from the Episcopal Palace of Faro in the XNUMXth century by Francis Drake, an English privateer, who is now in Oxford.
But as there is no point in crying over spilled milk, the exhibition «I believe» will be inaugurated on May 25, as part of the program for the celebrations of the Museum's 5th anniversary.
The exhibition brings together around fifty valuable pieces of art from various Algarve parishes, spanning a period of 500 years, which illustrate affirmations of the Catholic faith, while equally translating the immateriality of the Algarve's faith and culture.
Oils on wood and canvas, pieces in gold, silver and ivory, polychrome clay, marble, upholstered and polychrome woods, velvet and embroidered silks, are some of the religious treasures of the entire region that have been brought together, with origins as remote as India, Japan, Jordan or Persia and which include sacred art created between the XNUMXth and XNUMXth centuries.
This exhibition, which will be on display at the Portimão Museum until 15 September, is promoted with the aim of celebrating the Year of Faith, decreed by Pope Benedict XVI, and the Silver Jubilee of the episcopal ordination of Bishop Emeritus of Algarve, D. Manuel Mature Days.
The Episcopal Palace contributes with pieces from their collections. Faro, the Seminary of S. José of the Diocese of Algarve, the Parishes of Olhão, Marmelete, Porches, Cachopo, Aljezur, Sé de Faro, St. Peter of Faro, Alvor, Moncarapacho, Silves, Ferragudo, S. Sebastião de Loulé, Pêra, Vila do Bispo, Santa Maria de Lagos, Portimão and the Third Order of Carmo (Faro), as well as José Paulo Costa.
The exhibition is the result of a partnership between the Municipality of Portimão, through its Museum, and the Parish of Portimão Matrix and for the first time brings together a set of pieces of enormous artistic and religious value, to be presented to the public, in an integrated manner in a exhibition path.
José Gameiro, director of the Portimão Museum, added that the museum's team is in charge of the museum's museography and assembly. In addition to the synergies between the Museum, Parish and Diocese, the exhibition has some heavy support, such as the insurance company Lusitânia, which offered expensive insurance, essential to promote this initiative and move the entire collection to Portimão.
«This is a pioneering exhibition, which for the first time brings together a collection of this dimension and value. It also allows the Museum, which is eclectic in its relationship with society, to approach a social area linked to religion and sacred art. An approach that began last year, when we collaborated with the Parish in the exhibition “Do Eterno e do Nós” on the collection of sacred art at the Matriz de Portimão, which took place at the Teatro Municipal de Portimão», he also underlined.
«The sacred heritage in the Algarve, whether because of pirates, fires or earthquakes, is not one of the richest in the country. Over the centuries it has been depleted, but it is still a heritage that is ours and must be shown», said, for his part, Father Mário Sousa, not hiding his enthusiasm for this exhibition.
The inauguration of «Creio» is scheduled for 15:00 pm on Saturday, May 25, and will be attended, among other individuals, by the Bishop of the Algarve, D. Manuel Neto Quintas.
That same day marks the 5th anniversary of the Portimão Museum, with a program of initiatives that also includes the Photo Race, as the first public exhibition of the “Aureus” by Faustina, from the XNUMXnd century, another Roman gold coin discovered during dredging in the River Arade and thus returning to Portimão, to its original context. The coin will be part of the collection of the Museum of Portimão.
Corrected: on May 16, at 12:35 pm, correcting the name and location of the exhibition previously held by the Museu de Portimão in partnership with the Parish Parish of Portimão.
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