at a glance
visitors can experience monks chanting these prayers, which are also recited by a number of lay orders and the devout catholics - they give praise and glory to god at intervals throughout the day in the name of the church by reciting the office, which stems from the latin word officium, meaning duty. former popes, such as pope st. pius x and pope pius xii, encouraged the laity to participate in saying the office in recent years. the office itself is the combination of one hundred and fifty salms from the old testament, which are divided throughout the seven days of the week, so that all are recited in one week. the convent is open daily between 7 am and 6 pm, and there are guided tours of the church, in portoguese and in english - every day at 7:30 am there is a mass with gregorian chants, and on sunday at 10 am.
