A Bone-Chilling Place?

Chapel of Bones in Évora.

Entrance to Chapel of Bones with a message at the top. Photo by Paul Wilcox.

“We the bones that are here for yours we are waiting.” This is the message at the entrance to the Chapel of Bones in Évora, Portugal. Initiated by three Franciscan monks and built in the 17^th century, the Capela dos Ossos de Évora (Chapel of Bones) is in the Alentejo region of the country and is located in a separate building within the Church of St. Francis (São Francisco) complex.

One of two complete skeletons on display in the chapel. Photo by Paul Wilcox.

Sad? Morbid? Grotesque?

This chapel is on the must-see list of many tourists. In high season, there are busloads of curious folks who come to see the bones. On a recent visit, I watched people taking selfies and posing for pictures with the bones as a backdrop to post on social media. For me, somehow, that didn’t seem right since this is a place of eternal rest, but who am I to judge.

Is it really a bone-chilling place?

I’m not sure people really understand the reason for the bone chapel. Although many may view this display as a Halloween-ish bone-chilling tourist attraction, or something sad, morbid, or grotesque, it was not uncommon in earlier times for bone chapels and ossuaries to exist in many parts of Europe. Space was limited in small European cemeteries, so it was common to exhume human remains after a certain number of years to make room for others to be buried. Over time, the display of the exhumed bones and skulls became a frequent practice as a symbol and reminder to the local citizenry of the transience of life. In fact, there are five more bone chapels in Portugal, and throughout Europe there are many more.

A chapel pillar. Photo by Paul Wilcox.

Over 5,000 bones.

The Capela dos Ossos de Évora contains more than five thousand human bones and covers nearly every inch of the building including the walls, parts of the ceiling, window frames, and pillars. All the ancient bones displayed in this chapel are from local cemeteries.

Walls, ceilings, pillars, and window frames are covered in bones. Photos by Paul Wilcox.

The vaulted ceiling of the chapel is decorated with frescos dating from the early 1800’s and depict biblical scenes.

Vaulted chapel ceiling with frescos. Photo by Paul Wilcox.

What you leave behind.

Walking into the chapel, a visitor could experience various emotions. Some might be freaked out, some might feel sad, some might find it interesting. For me, it was fascinating to see the remains of so many souls who most likely once walked along the same ancient cobbled streets in Évora as I have walked. How did they live? How did they die? Who did they love? Who did they hate? What are the untold life stories of these human remains?

It was a reminder to me that our time on Earth is limited, and what we leave behind - not just the bones, the selfies, or the social media posts - but what we contribute to the world we live in while we’re here, and how we treat one another - is perhaps the most important message these bones convey.

Maybe more people should visit these bone chapels and reflect on how - in the end - we are all very much alike. Anyhow, that was my takeaway.

What you leave behind. Photo by Paul Wilcox.

Church, Museum and Nativity Scene Collection.

In addition to the Bone Chapel, it is worth spending time visiting the Church of São Francisco, the Museum, and the Canha da Silva Collection of Nativity Scenes. These are all on the premises and worth the cost of the nominal admission.

Worth spending time visiting the Church, Museum and Nativity Scene collection. Photos by Paul Wilcox.

If you visit:

• Open daily except for New Years Day, Easter, Christmas Eve (closes in the afternoon), and Christmas Day.

• Opening times change depending on the season. Check the website for information.

• Tickets – A single ticket gives you admission to the Chapel of Bones, the Church, the Museum, and the Nativity Scene collection. Check the website for pricing.

• Children are allowed but some kids may be scared by the Bone Chapel.

• In high season, it can get crowded. We visited in low season, and it was not as crowded.

• Within a few steps of the Church, there are places for shopping and dining.

• Although it is a tourist attraction, the Church of São Francisco holds daily mass. During mass, visitors are not allowed to enter unless they are there to worship. An attendant at the door to the church will advise you as to when you can enter. Please be respectful.

• If you have physical challenges, you should be able to navigate most of the areas comfortably. There is limited parking available. If you have special requirements contact the admissions office by email info@igrejadesaofrancisco.pt or by phone +351 266 704 521.

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Until next time…

Obrigada!

Carol.