church · Canguaretama, RN
Capela de Nossa Senhora das Candeias (Mártires de Cunhaú)
On the old Engenho Cunhaú (sugar mill), the chapel marks the spot where about 70 worshippers were killed during Mass on July 16, 1645, during the Dutch period. It is a pilgrimage site of the Cunhaú Martyrs, and it keeps original stones from the central column and the sacristy.
Illustrative images. The pictures in this guide are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs, and may differ from it.
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About Capela de Nossa Senhora das Candeias (Mártires de Cunhaú)
The Capela de Nossa Senhora das Candeias (chapel) is on Fazenda Cunhaú, the old Engenho Cunhaú (sugar mill), in Canguaretama, on the southern coast of Rio Grande do Norte. Cunhaú was the first sugar mill in the captaincy of Rio Grande. Today the chapel is a place of pilgrimage and the starting point of the Caminho dos Santos Mártires (Way of the Holy Martyrs) route.
This is where the Cunhaú Massacre took place. On Sunday, July 16, 1645, during Dutch rule, about 70 worshippers were attending Mass with Father André de Soveral when a troop led by Jacob Rabbi, a German officer serving the Dutch, with allied Indigenous fighters, shut the chapel doors and killed those inside. Months later, on October 3, 1645, there was a second attack in Uruaçu, now São Gonçalo do Amarante.
The victims of both massacres were beatified by Pope John Paul II on March 5, 2000, and canonized by Pope Francis on October 15, 2017, as the Protomartyrs of Brazil. In Canguaretama, the martyrs are remembered on July 16; October 3 is a state holiday in RN. Don't confuse it with the Santuário dos Mártires (shrine), in Natal, or with the Uruaçu site, in São Gonçalo do Amarante.
The chapel stands in an open field on the farm and keeps original stones from the central column and the sacristy. Nearby there is a Religious Tourism Center, linked to the Paróquia Nossa Senhora da Conceição (parish), from which you walk to the chapel.
Before you go
Practical information
How much time to set aside
An hour is enough to see the chapel, the farm grounds and the religious tourism center.
Best time
Any time of year. On July 16, the date of the massacre, Canguaretama remembers the martyrs with celebrations.
How to get there
It is on Fazenda Cunhaú (a farm), in Canguaretama, on the southern coast of RN; access is by car. From the visitor center to the chapel it is about 300 meters on foot. Barra do Cunhaú is about half an hour away.
Tip
Before you go, confirm visiting arrangements with the Paróquia Nossa Senhora da Conceição (parish) in Canguaretama, which is responsible for the chapel.
A look at the place
Capela de Nossa Senhora das Candeias (Mártires de Cunhaú) in pictures
These pictures are illustrations based on the real place, not photographs. They may differ from the place.
Click the picture to enlarge it.
Get your questions answered
Frequently asked questions about Capela de Nossa Senhora das Candeias (Mártires de Cunhaú)
What happened at the Cunhaú chapel?
On July 16, 1645, during Dutch rule, about 70 worshippers attending Mass with Father André de Soveral were killed inside the chapel. This is the Cunhaú Massacre.
Are the Cunhaú martyrs saints?
Yes. They were beatified in 2000 and canonized by Pope Francis on October 15, 2017, together with the Uruaçu martyrs, as the Protomartyrs of Brazil.
Is the Cunhaú chapel in Natal?
No. It is on Fazenda Cunhaú, in Canguaretama, on the southern coast of RN. The Santuário dos Mártires (shrine) is in Natal, and Uruaçu is in São Gonçalo do Amarante.
When is the feast of the Cunhaú martyrs?
In Canguaretama, the martyrs are remembered on July 16, the date of the massacre. October 3, the date of the Uruaçu attack, is a state holiday in RN.
Can I go from Barra do Cunhaú to the chapel?
Yes, it is about half an hour away, in the same municipality of Canguaretama. Access is by car.