Igreja do Nosso Senhor do Bonfim is an 18th-century Catholic church on Salvador’s Itapagipe Peninsula, a few kilometres north of Comércio. Its colorful fitinhas, tied to the gates and wrists across Brazil, have their roots here. Inside, the Sala dos Milagres holds wax body parts and photographs left as offerings by people who credit Senhor do Bonfim with their healing. The church brings Catholic devotion and Afro-Brazilian Candomblé traditions together. Visit for the sacred space, the ribbons and a closer look at one of Salvador’s best-known pilgrimage sites.
The church and its traditions
Igreja do Nosso Senhor do Bonfim is on the Itapagipe Peninsula, north of Salvador’s Comércio district. The 18th-century church is a pilgrimage site and a place of devotion to Senhor do Bonfim. Its religious life connects Catholic practice with Afro-Brazilian Candomblé traditions.
The church is also closely associated with the fitas do Bonfim, the colored ribbons tied to its gates and worn on wrists throughout Brazil. These ribbons began here and have become a familiar symbol of Bahia. If you take part in tying one at the gate, the custom is associated with prayer and requests for blessings.
Sala dos Milagres
The Room of Miracles, or Sala dos Milagres, contains photographs and wax body parts left as offerings. People bring these objects in gratitude for healing they attribute to Senhor do Bonfim. The offerings make the room a direct expression of personal faith, so visit it with care and respect.
The Lavagem celebration
During the Lavagem, devotees and celebrants dressed in white walk an eight-kilometre route from Comércio to the church for the washing of its steps. The celebration honors Senhor do Bonfim, who is associated with the Candomblé orixá Oxalá, whose color is white. Blessed water and perfume are part of the event, followed by festivities that continue into the night.
FAQ
Where is Igreja do Nosso Senhor do Bonfim?
It is on the Itapagipe Peninsula in Salvador, a few kilometres north of the Comércio district.
What can you see inside the church?
The Sala dos Milagres contains photographs and wax body parts left as offerings by people who credit Senhor do Bonfim with their healing.
What are the fitinhas do Bonfim?
They are colored ribbons associated with the church, tied to its gates and worn on wrists. The custom began here.
What is the Lavagem?
It is a celebration in which devotees and celebrants walk eight kilometres from Comércio to the church for the washing of its steps.
