Convent of Beato António

The Convent of Beato António is a former Portuguese convent, located in the civil parish of Beato, in the municipality of Lisbon.HistoryA hermitage was constructed on the site in the 15th century, dedicated to São Bento, by order of D. Estêvão de Aguiar, then abbey of Alcobaça.It was offered to Queen Elizabeth as a wedding gift, destined to the founding of the Congregação de Cónegos de São Salvador from Loio. The Queen had wanted to erect a hospice to shelter the Bons Homens de Vilar, of the Congregation of Lóios from the locale of Xabregas, where there existed a small hermitage dedicated to São Bento, erected by the friars of Alcobaça during the reign of King John I. On 9 March, a papal bull from Pope Pious II authorized the creation of the convent, which was eventually supported financially by Queen Leonor. The convent was recognized, until the end of the 16th century, as the Convent of São Bento de Enxobregas.Between 1570 and 1602 (the Philippine dynasty), it was inhabited by Father António da Conceição, who was responsible for collecting the necessary financial stipends for the construction of the new church and improve the building. Following legend, the friar was able to construct a sumptuous convent with few monetary resources, which expanded his fame. Later beatified in the 18th century, he was linked to the local toponymy (the site of Beato António or Convent of Beato), giving rise to the name Convento do Beato António (Convent of Blessed António).