Speech by Prince Aly Muhammad Aga Khan at the reopening of the Chapel of Our Lady of Affliction

Bismillah-ir-Rahman-ir-Rahim

Honourable Mayor of Gondomar
Distinguished Secretary of State for Local Administration and Land Planning
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen

It is a pleasure for me to join you today for the reopening of this Chapel.

Before continuing, I would like to acknowledge the profound sorrow caused by the recent tragedy of the Elevador da Glória, in Lisbon. I wish to express my heartfelt condolences to the families of all those who lost their lives, and my prayers for the swift recovery of the injured. In this moment of grief, we stand in solidarity with the Portuguese Government and its peoples.

It was only a year ago, shortly after the conclusion of these same festivities, that wildfires nearly destroyed this beautiful chapel and almost erased its precious memories.

Unfortunately, Portugal has experienced many wildfires in the past, and this year has been no exception. I’d like to express my solemn regret for the lives tragically lost and the destruction caused by the fires in recent weeks. Importantly, I’d also like to pay tribute to the courage and dedication of all those who work to fight the flames and those who support the affected communities.

In the aftermath of last summer’s devastation, my brother, His Highness the Aga Khan, wrote to the government of Portugal to offer support.

Following consultation with national and local authorities, as well as with the Church leadership, it was agreed that restoring this chapel would be a fitting way to materialise that support.

The goal was to have the chapel ready in time for today’s celebrations, and we are therefore delighted that this has been achieved, through the help of the Aga Khan Trust for Culture, and the determined commitment of the local community and the local government.

The restoration is not only of great importance to the local community and those that worship here, but also symbolises the solidarity between the Ismaili Imamat and the Catholic Church, and our respective institutions.

It is also a testament to the strength of the bond between the Ismaili Imamat and the Portuguese Republic – a bond anchored in the shared values of respect for human dignity, for pluralism, and for a commitment to bring hope and opportunity to all peoples, regardless of faith or origin.

Accordingly, it is my hope that this chapel will continue to hold a special place in the hearts of its worshippers for many years to come. Let it stand as a reminder of the bonds that unite us, and of the responsibility that we all share to preserve our pluralistic and collective heritage.

Finally, I would like to thank Mayor Luís Filipe Araújo for his warm hospitality, as well as all of those who have worked tirelessly to make this project a reality and restore this beautiful chapel to the condition that it surely deserves. Thank you.