A mummified pope lies inside this church, dressed in rich garments: Saint Clement, a martyr. His tomb is in the Chapel of the Holy Family, and he is the only pope whose resting place is outside the Vatican. That startling presence gives Igreja de Santo António dos Congregados a character quite unlike the busy square beyond its doors.
From the pavement, take in the tiled front while you are safely still. Jorge Colaço created those façade tiles, and the church’s stained-glass windows, made by Robert Léone, date from 1920. The main chapel was rebuilt during the nineteenth century and later received mural paintings by Acácio Lino.
This church was completed in 1703. It replaced a 1662 chapel dedicated to Saint Anthony, demolished a few years beforehand to make room for the new building. The church also stood beside the convent of the Congregation of the Oratory.
It is part of a protected historic site here on Praça de Almeida Garrett. If you would like to enter, it opens every day from 7:15 in the morning until 6:30 in the evening.
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