Church of Saint Roch in Lisbon Portugal
The Igreja de São Roque or in English the Church of Saint Roch is an amazing beautiful church in Lisbon, the capital of Portugal. It was the earliest Jesuit Church in Portugal, for more than 200 years, before the Jesuits were expelled. The church is famous for its 18th. century Chapel of St. John the Baptist, at that time it was the most expensive chapel in Europe. With such an expensive chapel, it must be clear that the Church of Saint Roch really has a fantastic royal history. Royal History When Lisbon was being ravaged by the plague, which had arrived by ship from Italy, in 1505, the King and his court were forced to flee the Portuguese capital for a while. The site of São Roque, which was then outside the city walls, became a cemetery for plague victims. At the same time the King of Portugal, Manuel I (reigned from 1495-1521), sent someone to Venice for a relic of St. Roch, the patron of the plague Victims. The relic was sent by the Venetian governmen