Sanctuary of Our Lady of Aires

The Sanctuary of Our Lady of Aires stands outside Viana do Alentejo and is one of the region’s most distinctive Marian pilgrimage centres. The present Baroque sanctuary was built between 1743 and 1804 to a design attributed by Turismo de Portugal to Father João Baptista, replacing an earlier 16th-century hermitage.

Its principal image represents Our Lady of Pity, with the Virgin holding the dead Christ. A particularly important feature is the House of Miracles, which preserves a large collection of ex-votos such as photographs, clothing and other personal offerings. These objects document generations of petitions, gratitude and devotional practice; they do not by themselves establish that a miracle occurred.

The sanctuary also preserves a traditional story, recorded in an inscription, that the image was found in a clay vessel by a farmer after the medieval Christian reconquest. That account is a sacred tradition rather than verified archaeological history. Pilgrimage remains central to the site.

The long-running fair of Our Lady of Aires is held in September, while a horseback pilgrimage follows an old route from Moita to Viana do Alentejo in spring. The sanctuary therefore combines a substantial 18th-century church, material evidence of popular devotion and living pilgrimage practices that connect it with communities well beyond the immediate town.