When in 1420 Joao Goncalves Zarco was returning from the coast of Africa, where he had been sent by Prince Henry the Navigator in search of new lands for colonization, he discovered a large deserted island full of impenetrable forests ("Madeira" means "forest") and many sources of freshwater. As the discoverer, Zarco gave them names. One of the rivers was named Ribeira Brava ("stormy river"). Later, a village with the same name appeared in this place. Today, it is home to one of the oldest and most charming rural churches on the island. It is named after St. Benedict (Sao Bento).

Fertile soils along the riverbanks gave rise to agriculture, the ocean – to fishing, and modern technologies – to tourism. At the same time, Ribeira Brava remains a small town with a population of six thousand people who know each other and are very friendly to strangers. The local church is like a rural special interest club club, and the whole community's world revolves around it.

The church was built in the Manueline style in 1520. Its appearance has not changed for almost 5 centuries. The wooden statue of Our Lady, made by Flanders craftsmen, has been part of the main altar for about the same number of years. Inside, the church looks like a carved box filled with jewels: there are paintings and sculptures of the 16th-17th centuries. The most notable of them are the sculptures of Benedict and Bernard, the baptismal font, and the lace-like wood carving depicting wild animals. Besides, there are many fresh flowers inside as in any rural temple.

The church and the surrounding square are especially beautifully decorated in late June and early July, during the celebration of the Day of St. Peter the Apostle, the patron saint of the city. The latest change in the church decoration occurred in 1948 with the appearance of a chapel adorned with gilded carvings and traditional azulejos (blue and light blue paintings on white ceramic tiles). The panel depicts the apparition of Our Lady in the Portuguese village of Fatima. In 1917, Our Lady appeared several times to children aged 7,8,9 years and brought prophecies about the world's fate. The Church recognized these phenomena as true Miracles.