Sanctuary of Peninha

"Sintra Parks Santuario Da Peninha Image 02 It is impossible to dissociate the history of this Sanctuary from its legend. This tells us that, during the reign of D. João III, a mute and very poor shepherdess, born in Almoinhas Velhas, who had the habit of walking her sheep in the surrounding area, lost one of her sheep. In the distance, she saw a lady who was carrying the lost sheep with her. Being mute, the pastor thanked him as best she could. The lady asked her for some bread, but the shepherdess told her that she didn't have any, as she was very poor. The lady then told her that when she got home she should call her mother and ask her for bread. The shepherdess, who knew she had no bread at home and was aware that, being mute, she could not call for her mother, explained to the lady that it was impossible to carry out such a task. After much insistence, the pastor agreed. Upon arriving, she called for her mother and, miraculously, her voice was heard. She explained what had happened and together they went in search of bread around the house. In a chest, they found enough bread to feed the entire village and end the times of hunger. As a thank you, the whole village went up to the mountain where the meeting with the lady had taken place and, in the exact place of the event, they saw the image of Our Lady. From that moment on, this became a place of sacred worship. At the end of the 17th century, Frei Pedro da Conceição, with the support of alms from the faithful and King Pedro II, ordered the construction of a chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Peninha, as well as the pilgrims' houses that served as support for pilgrims. However, this was not the first temple built on the site whose sacredness has been lost to time. Already in the 12th century there was a hermitage called São Saturnino, the work of Pêro Pais, ensign and standard bearer of the first king of Portugal, D. Afonso Henriques."