The Parish of Nossa Senhora da Oliveira in Guimarães, in the Archdiocese of Braga, hosts the concert 'The 7 Words of Christ on the Cross', as part of the 2nd Concert Cycle – Historic Grand Organ. The event takes place on September 12 and 13, 2026, at 9:30 PM on Saturday and 4:30 PM on Sunday, respectively.
The work is by Joseph Haydn (1732-1809) and will be performed by Fernando Miguel Jalôto, at the organ and responsible for the transcription of the piece. The concert holds special significance as it is part of the celebrations of the Holy Cross on September 14 and Our Lady of Sorrows on September 15, offering a moment of music, contemplation and reflection.
The initiative is free entry, subject to the venue's capacity. The Colegiada of Guimarães highlights the moment that combines Haydn's music with the heritage and richness of the Historic Grand Organ of the Church of Nossa Senhora da Oliveira, a 15th-century temple classified as a national monument.
The historic organ, a work by Vimaranese organ builder Luís António de Carvalho (1766-1839), was completed in 1841, 10 years after being commissioned by the Insigne e Real Colegiada of Guimarães. It is the largest historic organ in Northern Portugal, with 2,229 sound pipes and 51 half-registers, distributed across three sections, and was restored between 2011 and 2013 by master organ builder Pedro Guimarães and his wife, Beate von Rohden.
