Colonial period , located in Largo São Francisco. ) The Church of the Wounds of the Seraphic Father Saint Francis arose during the colonial period when the town of São Paulo de Piratininga was sparsely populated and its economic activity was linked to export trade, slave trade and subsistence agriculture. Social relations were limited to kinship ties, occupations and social goods. The religious aspect was very important in the formation of Brazil's cultural identity, since it was the
Catholic Church's responsibility, through the activities of the clergy, religious orders, brotherhoods and third orders, to occupy, educate, catechize and provide social assistance to the population.
Third Order The expansion of the
Seraphic Orders throughout Brazil began between 1624 and 1654, following the
Dutch invasion of the country. In 1640, the Third Order of Saint Francis of Penance, belonging to
Third Order of Saint Francis, was set in São Paulo. Over the course of the 18th century, the fraternity established itself as an institution, while the structure of society changed as a result of the
gold cycle. During this period, the majority of the members of the Third Order were merchants and businessmen. From the beginning, the so-called "good men", who held public office and were part of the town's most important families, gathered in the church to share their ideas and interests.
Construction Between 1642 and 1647, the
Franciscan friars settled in the town of São Paulo do Piratininga and built a convent and church in the area later known as
Largo de São Francisco. In 1676, the brothers of the Third Order of Saint Francis, led at the time by Friar João de São Francisco, began building a chapel for the congregation inside the Franciscan church to satisfy the spiritual needs of the local population. The chapel functioned as such for about a century, until the members of the Order decided to build a larger one without demolishing the existing building. The expansion of the chapel was completed in 1736 and included an archway connecting it to the
convent church. In 1783, the Franciscan friars donated the land around the temple to the brothers of the Third Order of Saint Francis for expansion. The octagonal chapel was transformed into the
transept of the new church, which now has a cross-shaped plan with the main facade aligned with the convent church. On September 11, 1787, the Church of the Wounds of the Seraphic Father Saint Francis was inaugurated. The paintings on the
dome and in the chapel date from the same period and are the work of artists such as João Pereira da Silva,
José Patrício da Silva Manso, a painter known as Quadros, among other unknown artists. == Architectural features ==