Statue of Queen Saint Isabel

Queen Saint Isabel of Aragon (1270-1336), wife of King D. Diniz (1261-1325), died in the Castle of Estremoz, at the age of 66, on July 4, 1336, from a sudden illness that occurred while she was heading to the border on a mission to bring peace between her son, D. Afonso IV (1291-1357), and her grandson, Alfonso XI of Castile (1311-1350). Against everyone's advice, D. Afonso wanted to fulfill his mother's purpose of being buried in the Monastery of Santa Clara. The long journey took place under the blazing July sun and, to everyone's amazement, despite the intense heat, the coffin gave off such a pleasant perfume that "no one had ever seen such a noble odour", as can be read in her first anonymous biography, known as “Legend or Relation”, written immediately after her death by someone who had been close to her, probably her confessor, Friar Salvado Martins, Bishop of Lamego, or one of the owners of Santa Clara who looked after her during her widowhood. The virtues of the Queen, later considered a Saint, were the reason for her beatification by Leo X (1475-1521) in 1516, with authorisation for her worship to be restricted to the Diocese of Coimbra. In 1556, Pope Paul IV (1476-1559) extended the Elizabethan devotion to the entire Kingdom of Portugal. It would be Pope Urban VIII (1568-1664), given the incorruption of the body and the report of miracles, who would proclaim in 1625, the canonization of Isabella of Aragon as a Holy Queen.

Unfortunately, access to the viewing platform and the statue will be closed in May 2025.

Saint Elizabeth of Portugal, born Isabella of Aragon, Portuguese Rainha Santa Isabel, was Princess of Aragon and Queen of Portugal from 1282 to 1325, later a Franciscan nun. She is a saint who is still popular in Portugal today.