Built in the sixteenth century, this is one of the few churches in Olinda, that was preserved from the fire started by the Dutch when they took the city in 1631. The reason for this could be because it belonged to the military brotherhood and because it has served as general quarters for the invaders. Despite its historical importance, the Church suffered severe damage as a result of a process of abandonment. However there is an inscription above the pulpit dated after 1660 suggesting that it had been reconstructed after the Dutch invasion. The Master Plan for the restoration of the building was financed by the Foundation and the State Government (FUNDARPE), and carried out by Centro de Estudos Avancados da Conservacao Integrada – CECI.

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Twenty students, youths and adults aged 17 to 25, had the opportunity to be trained in various traditional crafts of construction, with a focus on restoration under technical monitoring IPHAN and the participating municipalities of PAC Historical Cities in Pernambuco. The students received training in painting, casting and forging of metals, carpentry and joinery, masonry, plaster and masonry.