Stories of the Santa Casa da Misericórdia Lisbon from a Female Perspective. A First Approach

Since the beginning, women have been at the heart of Mercy. They have been recipients of protection and care, but also active protagonists of its mission. As benefactors and testers, they financially supported numerous works; as nurses, caregivers, teachers, or assistants, they embodied the most authentic sense of service and compassion; as users and orphans, they found in this house refuge, hope, and dignity. In each of these gestures, there is the expression of the foundational principle that drives Mercy: to serve others with humanity.

The book, resulting from a research project promoted by the Directorate of Culture, developed and written by our historian João Simões, represents a significant step in recognizing the contribution of women to the history of the
Institution. By gathering and interpreting testimonies, names, and legacies, this study illuminates a constant presence that has shaped the spirit of Mercy over the centuries. The academic rigor and human sensitivity with which this work was conducted reveal a
historical document, but also an exercise in justice and memory.

Author | João Miguel Simões

General Coordination | Teresa Nicolau

Editorial Coordination |Samuel Esteves

Photography and Image
Cover image: SCML | Communication Directorate |
Multimedia Unit | João Carlos Oliveira
National Library of Portugal: (figs. 28 and 32)
Municipal Hemeroteca of Lisbon: (fig. 14)
Benfica Parish Council: Vasco Henriques (fig. 13)
Lisbon Museum: (figs. 30 and 31)
National Museum of Ancient Art: (fig. 21)
Museums and Monuments of Portugal E.P.E.: José Pessoa (fig. 27)
Santa Casa da Misericórdia Lisbon | Directorate of Culture | Museum of São Roque: (fig. 33) |
José Pedro Alboim Borges (fig. 6) | Júlio Marques (figs. 1, 3, 7 and 11) | Paulo Cintra & Laura
Castro Caldas (figs. 9, 12 and 34)
Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa | Communication Directorate | Multimedia Unit |
João Carlos Oliveira (figs. 5, 8, 10, 15, 17, 23, 24, 26, 29, 36, 37 and 38) |
João David Martins (fig. 25) | (fig. 35)
Wikimedia Commons: Rick Morais (figs. 2, 4 and 18) | Donatas Dabravolskas (figs. 16 and 20) |
Paul R. Burley (fig. 19)
Yourimage.com: Sérgio Garcia (fig. 22)

Design and Pagination SCML | Communication Directorate | Design Unit | António Boura

Review José L. Baptista

Acknowledgments:
Benfica Parish Council | Vasco Henriques
Parish of São Lourenço de Carnide - Lisbon

Year of Publication: Nov, 2025
Publisher: SCML Directorate of Culture | Editorial Center
ISBN: 978-989-9151-88-8