The first written mention of Samora Correia dates from 1295. On April 13, 1510, it received a charter given by D. Manuel I. The former municipality of Samora Correia appeared in 1527, in the Cadastro, with a single parish, invoking Nossa Senhora da Oliveira, priory of the Order of Santiago. The King received the tithes and the Tuesdays and the Bishop of Évora received the fourth of the tithes. Mayorship, jurisdiction and revenues were under the responsibility of the Master of the Order of Santiago.
It belonged to the House of Aveiro until 13 January 1759, when the 8th Duke of Aveiro, 8th Count of Santa Cruz and 5th Marquis of Gouveia were executed for alleged implications in the attack on King José I, on September 3, 1759, passing to the Crown. The parish priest was a prior presented by the Mesa da Consciência e Ordens, with royal confirmation, from among the friars of the Order of Santiago.
The parish still had two beneficiaries of the same Order named in the same way. It had Misericórdia and five chapels, namely: Espírito Santo, in the village, where the brothers of Misericórdia performed their acts, Santa Ana, close to the village, belonging to José de Magalhães e Brito, Lisbon’s crime scribe, of Nossa Senhora de Guadalupe, a quarter of a league away, administered by the Chamber, belonging to the Mesa da Consciência e Ordens, of São João de Belmonte, two leagues away, belonging and administered by the Casa de Aveiro and that of Senhor Jesus, also two leagues away leagues away, at Quinta de Pancas, belonging to D. Rodrigo de Noronha. There were pilgrimages to Our Lady of Guadalupe and the Holy Spirit.
Currently this parish belongs to the diocese of Évora, archpriest of Coruche.
More information at Samora Correia Parish official website – www.paroquiasamoracorreia.pt
Church of Our Lady of Oliveira
In 1718, the existing Church in Samora Correia was destroyed, to make way for the current Mother Church, consecrated to Nossa Senhora de Oliveira, Patroness of the parish. The current Igreja Matriz de Samora Correia, was inaugurated and blessed in 1721, having been built by the parish priest Freire Henrique da Silva Araújo, of the Order of Sant’lago da Espada. In addition to being dedicated to the patron saint, Nossa Senhora de Oliveira, it is also consecrated as a monument in honor of the Apostle São Tiago Maior and the Order.
Its covered area is 650 m2 and the atrium, fenced with iron railing, is 374.5 m2. It measures 14 meters, to which we add another 6 meters from the base of the bell towers to the pinnacle.
The tiles that cover its interior walls date from the 18th century and allude to the Apostle São Tiago. On a large panel of vases and flowers of varying quality, there are pictures of the life of Saint James the Greater, in two wonderful and extensive central panels, 16 meters long and almost 2 meters high, flanked by smaller ones.
From the 12th century onwards, Saint James is presented as an Apostle, preaching and teaching, a warrior usually on horseback with a shield, or a pilgrim with a cloak, staff, gourd, wide hat and leather bag attached to his waist. Only in the Church of Samora Correia is he represented as a pilgrim-warrior, at the same time, fighting on foot, with a pilgrim’s habit and a warrior’s shield. The panels are simply signed by P.M.P.
The earthquakes of 1755 and 1909 caused various damages, including the collapse of many tiles, which were then glued randomly and without connection, thus leaving the panels a little disfigured. The main altar is in gilded carving, with the image of the patron saint; on the opposite side to the epistle, there is a small altarpiece with the image of Nossa Senhora do Ó. Property of Public Interest, including the gilded altars, tile panels and wall paintings.
More information at Samora Correia Parish official website – www.paroquiasamoracorreia.pt