The church in question was founded in the year 1713, though later renovated and enlarged in 1747. It's not, however, the main church that interests us, but rather the "Capela dos Ossos" or Chapel of the Bones that was built in 1816 that draws our attention today.
The skeletal remains come from an older cemetery of the Carmelite Order and as such the chapel contains the mortal remains of more than 1000+ Carmelite friars (in point of fact, someone too the time and there are 1245 skulls that can be found within the chapel).
Over the entrance to the chapel is an inscription that tells the purpose of this display:
"Stop here and consider that you will reach this state."
That, of course, sums up in a nutshell the purpose of ossuary chapels. Not as macabre displays, but rather as memento mori -- reminders of one's own mortality, reminders of the fourth last things (death, judgement, heaven or hell), and reminders to pray for the Holy Souls. I often say, and I will continue to say, such displays are more relevant than ever in a culture obsessed with distracting ourselves from the reality of death, and vainly seeking to avoid it at all costs.
But enough pontificating, here are a few views from this fascinating chapel.
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