Nossa Senhora do Monserrate do Rio de Janeiro

The Abbey of Our Lady of Montserrat (Abadia de Nossa Senhora do Monserrate), more commonly known as the Mosteiro de São Bento (Monastery of St. Benedict), is a Benedictine abbey located on the Morro de São Bento (St. Benedict Hill) in downtown Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The Mannerist style church is a primary example of in Rio and the country.The abbey was founded by Benedictine monks who came from the state of Bahia in 1590. It is still operational today, along with the Colégio de São Bento (St. Benedict College) nearby. The college, established in 1858, is one of the most important traditional educational establishments in Brazil and claims many famous alumni. The abbey includes the Faculdade de São Bento (St. Benedict Seminary), with courses in theology and philosophy that are recognized by the Ministry of Education. Theological studies at the monastery are also affiliated with the Pontifical Atheneum of St. Anselm in Rome.HistoryThe history of the abbey began in 1590 when Manoel de Brito and his son Diogo de Brito de Lacerda donated land for its construction in downtown Rio de Janeiro to Pedro Ferraz and João Porcalho, Benedictine monks from Bahia. At the time, the monks were residing in a simple inn next to the Chapel of Nossa Senhora da Conceição (Our Lady of the Conception) near what is now called the Morro de São Bento. Because of this, the monastery adopted Our Lady of the Conception as its patron saint. St. Benedict was later added as an additional patron saint, and namesake, by order of the Junta Geral da Congregação Portuguesa (General Board of the Portuguese Congregation) in 1596. In 1602, the then-titled, "Mosteiro de São Bento de Nossa Senhora da Conceição" changed its name to "Mosteiro de Nossa Senhora de Montserrat" in homage to the saint to which the governor of the Captaincy of Rio de Janeiro, Dom Francisco de Souza, was devoted.