Ermida de São Sebastião Paróquia Ortodoxa Romena São Tomé Apostolo

The history of the Hermitage of St. Sebastian, FaroIn this Hermitage it had its headquarters The Brotherhood of St Sebastian. The building consists of three churches united, which gives uniqueness.The Chapel of St. Sebastian is a temple whose construction is assumed to reassemble XV century. The building of the Chapel St. Sebastian is associated with the settlement of the religious orders in Faro in the early fifteenth century. Among the first are mentioned the Friars of the Holy Trinity Order, those who have also founded a hospice at St Peter's church in 1415. The Capuchin Friars who arrived in the early sixteenth century were provisionally accommodated in the Chapel of St. Sebastian to the north of the then village.As shown us today, the Hermitage reflects the vicissitudes that passed in its long existence: looting and burning ,extensions and reconstructions; the construction of side chapels and annexes in secs. XVI and XVIII. So, between 1518-1534 was built São Roque Chapel, destroyed in 1596 by the English troops of the Earl of Essex and rebuilt in 1598 by the Bishop of Algarve, Fernando Martins Mascarenhas. It is a notable building that preserves an important witness of the Manuelin style. In 1721 was built the chapel of Nossa Senhora de Belém. At the end of the eighteenth century was the seat of the Parish of St. Peter, whose church was destroyed by earthquake in 1755. When lifting the fortification of the city the Hermitage remained outside of the wall to defend the city from invaders and diseases by the spiritualy help of the military Saint Sebastian. It is renovated in 1943 and in 1964 by the Municipal Chamber of Faro. In 2006 is consecrated once again to the worship, becoming the Romanian Orthodox Parish Church St. Thomas the Apostle.""