Senhorinha of Basto is thought to have been born into the noble Sousa family[3] as either Domitilla or Genoveva.[4] After being raised by her aunt, BlessedGodinha, abbess of the Benedictine convent of St. John of Vieira, Senhorinha also joined the Benedictines and succeeded her aunt as abbess at Vieira.[2][5] Later, she moved the convent of Vieira to Basto near Braga, Portugal.[5]
Legacy
Senhorinha of Basto was canonized by Paio Mendes, Archbishop of Braga, in 1130, at a time when bishops had the authority to canonize faithful people in their dioceses.[6][7] Her feast day is April 22,[5][8] which is recorded in Portuguese liturgical calendars beginning in the 13th century.[7]
Her shrine in Basto was a popular pilgrimage destination in the region in the 12th and 13th centuries.[9]King Sancho I of Portugal was one famous devotee who made the pilgrimage to cure his son and heir, Afonso II, who was healed and succeeded Sancho I as king of Portugal.[6][10] The church in Basto has been named in her honor since at least 1220, and water from a nearby fountain named after her is believed to have healing properties.[11] Her tomb is housed in the church.[7]
In art, she is typically depicted with a water jug or vessel at her side and sometimes a frog, in reference to one of the miracles she is said to have performed during her life.[8]
^ abcDunbar, Agnes Baillie Cunninghame (1905). A dictionary of saintly women. London: George Bell & Sons / Internet Archive. p. 219-220. Retrieved 8 April 2019.
^The sense of images : sculpture and art in Portugal [1300-1500]. Carvalho, Maria João de Vilhena., Moreno, Humberto Baquero., Curvelo, Alexandra., Instituto Português de Museus. [Lisbon]: Instituto Português de Museus. 2000. ISBN9727760708. OCLC85210017.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
