The Most Famous Portuguese Ambassador in Golden Square

The most famous Portuguese Ambassador who lived in Golden Square was undoubtedly Sebastião José de Carvalho e Melo, later 1st Marquis of Pombal. Soon after his arrival in London in 1739 he drew up a detailed list of regulations and services to be carried out in the Chapel: “Mass and Vespers are to be sung on all Sundays and on nineteen other days, but there is to be no High Mass on Christmas Day… the whole of the Holy Week services are to be solemnly sung and conducted in accordance with the Rubrics. From the 25th of March to the 29th of September, the first Mass is to be said at 6am, five other Masses are to be said between this and llam. Eight confessionals are provided for the convenience of penitents.