The Poor Clares of the Monastery of Santo António, in Lombo dos Aguiares, have maintained the devotion to the Lord of Patience for over half a century, a connection that is part of the spiritual identity of the community. Sister Patrícia Rocha, local superior and delegate of the President of the Federation of Poor Clares of Portugal, explains that the clarissas define themselves as guardians of the Lord of Patience, with the chapel dedicated to this devotion serving as a place of pilgrimage. The mantles of the image, embroidered by the sisters themselves, are one of the visible expressions of this care.
The history of this devotion is closely linked to the former Monastery of Mercês and the Servant of God Mother Virginia Brites da Paixão. Upon the expulsion of religious orders, the image of the Lord of Patience was taken to Pomar do Miradouro, in Santo António, becoming a symbol of resistance and faithfulness to the faith. The image remained in Mother Virginia's room from 1910 until the inauguration of the chapel of the current monastery, on November 5, 1985.
The first public celebration in honor of the Lord of Patience took place on June 19, 1969, two years after the arrival of the first Clarissas to the site, driven by Fr. Abel Augusto da Silva, the community's first chaplain. The feast later came to be held on the second Sunday of September, becoming consolidated as one of the moments of greatest gathering between the monastery and the population, where many faithful come to give thanks for received graces or entrust intentions to the prayers of the religious sisters.
The image of Christ seated, crowned with thorns and stripped, is presented by Sister Patrícia as a model of silent suffering, capable of teaching how to face life's adversities with serenity and perseverance. For the clarissas, patience is not merely the virtue of knowing how to wait, but the attitude maintained while waiting, summarized in the religious sister's phrase: "Patience is the best friend of faith."
