Igreja de São Lourenço (Almancil)

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The Igreja de São Lourenço (Saint Lawrence Church)is located on a hill near Almancil, Portugal. It was built in the 17th century and dedicated to Saint Lawrence of Rome. It was commissioned by local inhabitants in gratiyude to St. Lawrence, who answered their prayers for water.

[edit] Decoration

The interior is covered by blue and white glazed tiles ('azulejo'), probably produced in Lisbon and sent down to Algarve. The glazed tiles cover the cupola, the walls of the chancel, the nave and the nave vault and depict episodes of St. Lawrence's (or Laurence) life:

• the saint healing two blind men
• the saint giving money to the poor
• the saint conversing with Pope Sixtus II
• the saint arquing for its Christian belief with Roman Emperor Valerian
• the saint's martyrdom