ACN donor, 97, sells her art to help persecuted Christians
Maria Antónia Cabral uses recycled material to make Portuguese devotional images, which she sells to support Christians through Aid to the Church in Need (ACN).
At 97, one might expect Maria Antónia Cabral to spend her time resting and enjoying the company of her six children, 14 grandchildren, and 15 great-grandchildren.
Instead, inspired by the work of ACN, Maria sells Portuguese homemade images of saints. All the money she raises goes to ACN, to help Christians in need all over the world.
“ACN came into my life several years ago. It is a charity I trust because I know that it is a Catholic organization and that the money it receives is well spent. There are so many desperate situations in the world, so I am eager to help in any way I can,” Maria says.
Maria was one of the first ten women in Portugal to obtain an architecture degree, but her love of art began earlier. “When I was a teenager, I’d go to the market in Nazaré with my mother, and the fishmongers there had traditional handicraft images of saints in framed boxes on their stalls. They were so simple, but I loved them and later learned to make them myself,” she tells ACN.
These traditional pieces, known locally as registos, date back to the 18th century and are generally images of saints in decorated frames, sometimes protected by a glass screen. They are a core part of Portuguese piety. Maria’s artwork is sought after by many people looking for gifts for baptisms, First Communions, birthdays, and weddings.
Although registos can be quite ornate, they are often made of simple material. Maria only uses what material she can find or what would otherwise be thrown away. Her husband’s printing workshop used to be a great source of boxes and colored glass. “IKEA boxes are brilliant because they are made of perfectly smooth cardboard,” she explains. She also uses old clothes, curtains, or pillowcases. She never buys anything, and all the money made from the sale of her sacred art goes to ACN.
She is currently setting up an exhibition at the local town hall in Benfica, Lisbon. “I read all the material ACN sends me, and that motivates me to do whatever I can. I had so many registos that I decided to hold an exhibition, and all the money raised will go to ACN.”
Maria is one of many who are moved by the suffering of Christians around the world and support the work of ACN in whatever way they can. ACN’s 23 national offices get donations from more than 365,000 donors around the world.
—Paulo Aido
