Payassu, magister gentium: emblemáticos suspiros das missões amazónicas nas exéquias de padre António Vieira

Abstract

Recognizing Father AntónioVieira’ s importance in the context of the cultural patrimony of the Lusophone universe, this study proposes a new approach on the role performed by emblematic devices at the funeral ceremonies hold in the Church of Saint Roch, taking into account the wide divulgation of logo-iconic models within 17th century festivities and the special relevance of the bimedial language in the Jesuit colleges. It is suggested, therefore, a semantic interpretation of the iconographic representations of the Jesuit missions along the Amazon river used on that funeral ceremonies, in the light of Vieira’s texts, in order to understand the rhetoric effect pursued by the festivities organized by Francisco Xavier de Meneses, analysing its contribution to preserve FatherAntónio Vieira’s memory.