Frei Gonçalo Velho, Descobridor da ilha de Santa Maria

Greetings,

As this postcard says,  this is a photo taken of the principle church of the island and in front of the discoverer of the island, Frei Gonçalo Velho.

The year was 1431 and an explorer was commissioned by Prince Henry the Navigator to set sail from Sagres.  Frei Gonçalo Velho set sail with a crew, promising to name the first island they saw for the Virgin Mary.  After many days at sea, on the actual Feast Day of the Virgin (August 15), the crew was praying the Ave Maria, and just as they reached the words, "Santa Maria", the lookout shouted "Land ho!" (Well, actually, he probably shouted "Terra a vista!", but you know what I mean.)

Portuguese Text
Avé Maria, cheia de graça, 
o Senhor é convosco. 
Bendita sois vós entre as mulheres; 
bendito é o fruto do vosso ventre, Jesus. 
Santa Maria, mãe de Deus, 
rogai por nós, pecadores, 
agora e na hora da nossa morte. 
Amen

Latin Text
Ave Maria, gratia plena, Dominus tecum.
Benedicta tu in mulieribus,
et benedictus fructus ventris tui, Iesus.
Sancta Maria, Mater Dei,
ora pro nobis peccatoribus,
nunc et in hora mortis nostrae. Amen.

English Translation
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and in the hour of our death. Amen.

NB: Diogo de Silves was placed as the person who discovered the islands in 1427, as stated by a Portuguese historian as of 1943, based on a smudged map.  It is entirely possible that the two were on that same boat in 1427, and that the "official" voyage in 1431 was to confirm the original sighting.  (Back then, writing was the ONLY form of verification.  How lucky we are to live in a society where writing is not only taken for granted, but exists as only one of many forms of verification.)