Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...
Loading...

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All Brazil São Paulo Igreja Santa Cruz das Almas dos Enforcados (Church of the Suffocated Souls)

Igreja Santa Cruz das Almas dos Enforcados (Church of the Suffocated Souls)

Even after multiple failed attempts to be hanged, Chaguinhas was still alive, making people believe it was a miracle.

São Paulo, Brazil

Added By
Natalia Alves
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
CAPTION
Igreja Santa Cruz das Almas dos Enforcados   Rodrigo Tetsuo Argenton / CC BY-SA 4.0
Igreja Santa Cruz das Almas dos Enforcados   Rodrigo Tetsuo Argenton / CC BY-SA 4.0
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

The Liberdade neighborhood is home to a number of historical places in São Paulo. Those who visit the place will be able to see, next to the square, a small Catholic temple with a peculiar name: Igreja Santa Cruz das Almas dos Enforcados (In English, it's the Church of the Suffocated Souls)

Nearby was the Cemetery of the Afflicted, where slaves, indigents, and criminals were buried after being hanged.

In 1821, Francisco José das Chagas, better known as Chaguinha, was hanged in what was called Largo da Forca (now Praça da Liberdade), after asking Brazilian soldiers for better wages. According to the records, the population that watched the hanging, asked for clemency for Chaguinhas, believing that the rope breaks were a divine sign of his innocence. The authorities ended up carrying out the sentence. He was killed after several attempts, as the rope broke more than once. His conviction shocked the city, but many Catholics believed that his twice escaping the gallows was some kind of miracle.

According to the Archdiocese of São Paulo, what happened “generated an immediate devotion in that place. Candles were lit and a cross was erected. The chapel was demolished in 1926, giving way to the Church of Suffocated Souls, also called Igreja das Almas (Church of Souls).

In 1958, the small building underwent its final renovation, when the tower and current configurations were built.

Some say that the place of the infamous hanging is exactly at the altar of the church. There are reports that Chaguinha’s ghost is always seen hanging around the benches of the church.

The church continues to function nowadays at Praça da Liberdade, no. 238, with regular masses on Mondays, Tuesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays.

Related Tags

Religion Churches Saints

Know Before You Go

The church opens on Mondays from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Tuesdays to Sundays from 7 a.m. to 6:45 p.m.How to get there: Get off at the Liberdade subway station (blue line) at the Praça da Liberdade exit. When leaving the station you can already see the church, which is on the right side.

Community Contributors

Added By

ashtartist

Edited By

Michelle Cassidy

  • Michelle Cassidy

Published

June 28, 2023

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • https://arquisp.org.br/regiaose/paroquias/mosteiros-igrejas-historicas-oratorios-da-regiao-se/igreja-santa-cruz-das-almas-dos-enforcados
  • https://www.apecc.com.br/circuito-da-fe-igreja-santa-cruz-das-almas-dos-enforcados/?amp=1
  • https://avidanocentro.com.br/o_que_fazer/lugares-mal-assombrados-centro-sp/
Igreja Santa Cruz das Almas dos Enforcados (Church of the Suffocated Souls)
238 Praça da Liberdade
Liberdade
São Paulo, 01503-010
Brazil
-23.55564, -46.635885
Visit Website
Get Directions

Nearby Places

Crypt of the São Paulo Cathedral

São Paulo, Brazil

miles away

Sé Station Mural

São Paulo, Brazil

miles away

Museum of Japanese Immigration in Brazil

São Paulo, Brazil

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of São Paulo

São Paulo

Brazil

Places 33

Nearby Places

Crypt of the São Paulo Cathedral

São Paulo, Brazil

miles away

Sé Station Mural

São Paulo, Brazil

miles away

Museum of Japanese Immigration in Brazil

São Paulo, Brazil

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of São Paulo

São Paulo

Brazil

Places 33

Related Places

  • Ohey, Belgium

    Chapelle Saint-Mort

    The 6th-century saint is often invoked for tooth pain and young children who experience problems walking.

  • One of the skeletons at St. Martins Church

    Aulendorf, Germany

    Skeletons of St. Martin Church

    Two elaborately decorated "catacomb saints" are displayed on either side of the altar in a small church in Germany.

  • A church altar of sculpted amber saints that seems to float at the front of the church

    Gdańsk, Poland

    St. Bridget's Church

    One of the world's largest amber altarpieces is housed within this reconstructed medieval church.

  • A cream-colored Greek church behind a black iron fence and gate

    Athens, Greece

    Holy Church of Saint Andrew

    A martyred saint built a nunnery and school for girls here known as the "Parthenon."

  • The saints’ heads in front of Bonn Minster.

    Bonn, Germany

    Heads of Saints Cassius and Florentius

    A pair of giant stone heads represent the ancient Roman saints beheaded here.

  • The grave altar

    Chur, Switzerland

    Church of St. Luzi Crypt

    The remains of St. Lucius of Chur were said to be kept in this crypt for several centuries.

  • The Church of Saint Sylvester on Mount Soratte.

    Rome, Italy

    Hermitage of Saint Sylvester

    This hermitage celebrates the legend of Emperor Constantine's healing from leprosy.

  • Athens, Greece

    Church of Agia Kyriaki

    A tiny Greek Orthodox church from the Ottoman era hides on a busy city street.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.