Located in Socorro Square, this church is related with a pledge made by the people of Funchal to Saint James because of an outbreak of plague that occurred in the island in 1523.

As a result, a statue of Saint James was placed in the church of Our Lady of Calhau, which at the time was located on the banks of the João Gomes River. This church was destroyed in the floods of 1803 and was replaced by the current Socorro Church, which was completed in 1768 and now houses the statue of Saint James. It became the main church of Santa Maria Maior Parish.

With an elegant baroque facade and beautifully carved wooden doors, in the interior you can find ceiling paintings, traditional tiles and a gilded carved altar. Every year on May 1st, the church is the starting point for a centuries-old procession dedicated to Saint James the Lesser, the patron saint of Funchal.