Ways to say it
| Portuguese | IPA | Note |
|---|---|---|
| santuário | /sɐ̃.tuˈa.ɾju/ (Brazil) /sɐ̃ˈtwa.ɾju/ (Brazil) |
masculine |
| relicário | /ʁe.liˈka.ɾju/ (Brazil) | masculine |
| oratório | /o.ɾaˈtɔ.ɾju/ (Brazil) /ɔ.ɾɐˈtɔ.ɾju/ (Portugal) |
masculine |
A shrine is a holy place dedicated to a specific figure of respect. The term santuário can refer to a small shrine within a larger religious complex or church. Related terms include religião (religion), imagem (image) and peregrinação (pilgrimage).
Which one should you use?
The forms used in Portuguese differ based on the specific nature of the shrine. Santuário refers to the holy place or site itself. Relicário refers specifically to a container or vessel used to hold sacred relics. Oratório is used for a smaller, more private shrine or a small structure intended for prayer, such as a home altar or a small chapel.
Is it said differently in some regions?
In Brazil, some people use the word capela when referring to a small shrine or a chapel.
How does it change in a sentence?
All three provided forms, relicário, santuário and oratório, are masculine nouns.
How do you pronounce it?
santuário is pronounced /sɐ̃.tuˈa.ɾju/. It has 4 syllables, with the stress on the 3rd syllable.
Did you know?
- The root of oratório comes from the Latin ōrātor, meaning 'public speaker', because prayer was viewed as a form of formal oration.
- A relicário can be as small as a piece of jewelry, such as a locket worn around the neck to hold a sacred object.
- In Brazilian homes, an oratório is often not just a place for prayer but a decorative piece of furniture designed specifically to hold sacred images.
Examples in context
- Tom orou no santuário.Tom prayed at the shrine.This sentence shows how to use santuário to describe the act of praying at a shrine.Tatoeba #10783558 by bill, translation #8843733 by Hybrid
- O santuário foi construído há duzentos anos.The shrine was built two hundred years ago.This sentence uses santuário to describe the age of a shrine.Tatoeba #10783570 by bill, translation #46054 by CK
- Havia vendedores de algodão-doce no santuário.There were cotton candy vendors in the shrine.This sentence shows the presence of vendors at a santuário.Tatoeba #10783584 by bill, translation #2760168 by mervert1
- O Santuário de Fátima é um local de peregrinação muito importante em Portugal.The Sanctuary of Fatima is a very important pilgrimage site in Portugal.
- A cidade abriga um santuário dedicado à padroeira do país.The city houses a shrine dedicated to the country's patron saint.
- Ela montou um altar com fotos dos seus entes queridos falecidos.She set up a shrine with pictures of her deceased loved ones.
- Minha avó possui um altar dedicado a Nossa Senhora Aparecida.My grandmother has a shrine dedicated to Our Lady of Aparecida.
- 5 more sentences on Tatoeba
Example conversation
Beatriz and Rodrigo are visiting a religious site in a small town.
- BeatrizEste santuário é muito bonito.This shrine is very beautiful.
- RodrigoSim, o santuário parece muito antigo.Yes, the shrine looks very old.
- BeatrizRodrigo, você quer entrar?Rodrigo, do you want to go inside?
- RodrigoSim, vamos visitar o santuário agora.Yes, let's visit the shrine now.
Sources
- Wiktionary, “shrine” translations and entries santuário, relicário, oratório, CC BY-SA 4.0, dump of 2026-09-26.
- Word origins: Wiktionary entries oratório, relicário, santuário, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Example sentences: Tatoeba CC BY 2.0 FR.
