• Saint during the restoration process.
  • Morro da Conceição Saint before restoration, 2001.
  • Start of scaffolding assembly.
  • Rust in capitals.
  • Extreme damage in the niche of the Saint.
  • Deterioration detail of the sculpture.
  • Rust in one of the niche bases.
  • Structure completely rusty.
  • Detail of rust.
  • Removing the Saint of the niche.
  • Removal false base around the original base.
  • Beginning of removal and analysis work of old paint.
  • Painting restoration process.
  • Sculpture without ink.
  • Restored Saint still without the new paint.
  • Accommodation of the restored Saint back to the niche, also completely restored.
  • Saint completely restored to the Morro Festival in 2001.

Our Lady

The Morro da Conceição houses a french piece iron casted of Our Lady. Every year on November 29 thousands of faithful go in procession to the hill in festivities in honor of the saint. In 2001, after a technical report, it was verified the commitment of niche structure, including the risk of collapse. The natural wear of time and the use of inappropriate materials, rusted and damaged the structure in such a way that the restoration was made mandatory.

During the historical research it was realized that the concrete belt made years earlier decharacterizes originality of the monument. The comparison of the original shape with the way that year was discussed at various levels and environments. The president of the IAHGP (Archaeological, Historic and Geographical Institute of Pernambuco) gave an expert opinion that agreed with the withdrawal of the belt and return the original form of the piece. The priest of the chapel still took the matter to the Archbishop of Olinda and Recife, who also agreed to return to original form.

In an operation involving crates rails and brackets for the first time the image was taken from niche. The commotion of the faithful who accompanied the process was inevitable. In a tight schedule, the structure was renovated, the saint and niche in iron (made by the french foundry Val d'Osne) were all restored by Jobson Figueiredo. After months of work, the faithful have received the "new" saint on 28 November and could do, on next day, the Morro Festival with a revitalized holy image.


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