IGREJA - Nosso Senhor dos Passos

"Igreja - Nosso Senhor dos Passos"

(©2002, C. J. Peiffer)

digital enhancement of a work originally rendered

as a three-color reduction wood cut print inspired

by a photo taken in Salvador, Bahia c.1968

Products featuring this image can be found HERE.

Note that I find the name of this church written two ways:
Nosso Senhor Dos Passos (Our Lord of the Steps)
Nosso Senhor do Passo (Our Lord of the Step)
I'm not sure which is correct.

        A famous 1962 Brazilian film, O Pagador de Promessas (The Promise Payer) was filmed on these steps. It was nominated for a 1963 Academy Award (best foreign language film.) It won awards at 1962 Cannes Film Festival, 1962 Cartagena Film Festival and 1962 San Francisco International Film Festival (best film and musical score.)

Photo from 1962 film O Pagador de Promessas

        On the Internet Movie Database, Manoel Mendonca wrote a plot summary:

Zé is a very poor man from the Brazilian countryside. His most prized possession is his donkey. When his donkey falls terminally ill, Zé makes a promise to Saint Bárbara: If his donkey recovers, he will carry a cross - like Jesus - all the way from his city to Saint Bárbara's church in the state capital. Upon the recovery of his donkey, Zé leaves on his journey. He makes it to the church, but the priest refuses to accept the cross once he came to know the context of Zé's promise.

        Paul Simon recorded a video at the base of these steps for "Obvious Child" ('Rhythm of the Saints' CD). The You Tube video can be viewed HERE.

Igreja - Nosso Senhor dos Passos

Salvador, Bahia

Brazil

photo c.1968.

woodcut print c.1972

digital enhancement c.2002

(photo © 1968, C.J. Peiffer)