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The Episcopal Palace of São Luís do Maranhão is a ++ in São Luís, Maranhão, Brazil. It is located on Pedro II Plaza in the Historic Center of São Luís. The Episcopal Palace is located next to the Cathedral of Nossa Senhora da Vitória, and shares a common history with it. The Episcopal Palace was built in the 17th century, and remains an important monument in the historic center of the city.

Timeline

• 1612 - The colony of Saint-Louis founded by the French as part of Equinoctial France
• 1620 - Portuguese found São Luís on site of Saint-Louis
• 1627 - Establishment of the College of Our Lady of Light
• 1641 - Dutch occupation of São Luís as part of Dutch Brazil, followed by desertion and destruction of the city
• 1644 - Portuguese re-occupation of São Luís
• 1659 - Father António Vieira recorded as superior of the College
• 1759 - Order for expulsion of the Jesuits from Brazil
• 1761 - Jesuits expelled from Maranhão, and their assets transferred to the Portuguese crown
• 1825 - Addition of Neoclassical portal to the rear wall
• 1922 - Archdiocese of São Luís was created, and Episcopal Palace became it official office
• 2014 - Renovation of Episcopal Palace and relocation of Museum of Sacred Art of Maranhão to second floor of building

History

The Jesuits took part in the "Miraculous Journey" which they had been preparing for many years and occupied a large area on the acropolis of the new city, facing the sea, to build their church and residence. Construction, similar to other buildings in colonial Brazil extended for a long period, in the case of the College, from 1681 to 1727.

17th century

The College of Our Lady of Light was established by Father Luís Figueira in 1627. He initially completed a corridor on the north side. It was concealed in the defensive wall. The college was first building in São Luís of stone and mortar, at a time when other buildings were of rammed earth and palha.

The College of Our Lady of Light was a novelty in Maranhão in the early 17th century. There was instruction in grammar, reading, and writing, in addition fo arithmatic.

The complex of the Jesuit school and church was expanded throughout the 17th century, through the actions of notable figures, such as Fathers António Vieira and João Felipe Bettendorf. Work on the building were completed in the last quarter of the 17th century.

Father António Vieira was superior of the College by 1659. Vieira designed the western corridor in the façade. It was somewhat higher than the first coridor. A Noviciate was located in the east corridor.

[[They were all built at the same height to give uniformity to the building by Father João Filipe Bettendorf, as he himself explained. Thus a perfect quadrangle was formed “40 braças square”, with the church on the side facing south towards the city.[[

The Jesuits were expelled from Brazil in 1759, first from Salvador, and from São Luís in 1761. The Jesuit college closed in the same year.

The college, like other Jesuit buildings in Brazil, reverted to the Portuguese crown and were redistributed for other use. The college was given to the bishop and used as an Episcopal residence into the 19th century. A Neoclassical portal was added to the rear wall in 1825, but the episcopal residence was abandoned and soon fell into ruin.

[The modern restoration work carried out on the Cathedral next to it has considerably improved its interior and exterior appearance: in particular the corridor of the façade – corresponding to the work carried out by Father Vieira – which was radically changed in order to become the Marist College.[

The College was a prominent structure in São Luís. It was large, even by Portuguese standards; in 1696, it was larger than São Roque in Lisbon.

The history of the Jesuits in Maranhão ended in 1759 with the expulsion of the order from Colonial Brazil. The Jesuit church became the Cathedral of São Luís, and the Jesuit College was transformed into the bishops' palace. The palace was in a state of ruin by the mid-19th century, and underwent several renovations.

Its Baroque appearance was replaced by its current Neoclassical design. In the center of the façade, the lioz stone portal stands out, with the coat of arms of the diocese.

20th century

The Archdiocese of São Luís was created in 1922. The Palace became the office of the Archbishops at this time.

21st century

A large-scale renovation of the Cathedral of São Luís and the Episcopal Palace began in October 2013 and was completed in September 2014 by the National Historic and Artistic Heritage Institute (IPHAN). The second floor of the Palace was renovated into a museum space, and the Museum of Sacred Art of Maranhão opened in the space in 2014.