Balazar (or Balasar) is one of the seven parishes of the municipality of

Póvoa de Varzim Póvoa de Varzim (, ) is a Portuguese city in Northern Portugal and sub-region of Greater Porto, from its city centre. It sits in a sandy coastal plain, a cuspate foreland, halfway between the Minho and Douro rivers. In 2001, there were 63,470 ...

. The population in 2011 was 2,543,Instituto Nacional de Estatística (INE)
Census 2011 results according to the 2013 administrative division of Portugal in an area of 11.61 km². Each year thousands of pilgrims and many other

tourists Tourism is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tours. The World Tourism Organization defines tourism mo ...

visit the Sanctuary of Blessed Alexandrina of Balazar.

History

It was an ecclesiastical parish in Barcelos until 1836, when it became a civil unit and transferred to Póvoa de Varzim. In 1853 it was transferred to Vila Nova de Famalicão, but Póvoa de Varzim town hall request it to be returned, and was transferred back to Póvoa two years later. Balasar

The parish became famous in 2004, after the

beatification Beatification (from Latin ''beatus'', "blessed" and ''facere'', "to make”) is a recognition accorded by the Catholic Church of a deceased person's entrance into Heaven and capacity to intercede on behalf of individuals who pray in their nam ...

of Alexandrina Maria da Costa by

Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II ( la, Ioannes Paulus II; it, Giovanni Paolo II; pl, Jan Paweł II; born Karol Józef Wojtyła ; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 1978 until his ...

, on April 25 of that year. Pilgrimages to the parish's church where Alexandrina's body rests was already common, became more popular and the church is studying if it will make a shrine to Alexandrina, depending on number of pilgrims and if she is declared a saint.

Geography

Balazar is located 14 km east of downtown Póvoa de Varzim; and borders

Rates Rate or rates may refer to: Finance * Rates (tax), a type of taxation system in the United Kingdom used to fund local government * Exchange rate, rate at which one currency will be exchanged for another Mathematics and science * Rate (mathema ...

to the west and the municipalities of Barcelos, Vila Nova de Famalicão, and Vila do Conde.

Localities

The parish is divided into several localities (''lugares'' or ''localidades''): Agrelos,

Além Além (in English, ''Beyond'') is a Portuguese hamlet located in the parish of Balazar, Póvoa de Varzim Póvoa de Varzim (, ) is a Portugal, Portuguese city in Norte Region, Portugal, Northern Portugal and sub-region of Greater Porto, from its ...

, Bouça Velha, Calvário, Caminho Largo, Casal, Covilhã, Cruz, Escariz,

Fontaínhas Fontaínhas is a Portuguese hamlet located between the parishes of Balazar and Rates in Póvoa de Varzim Póvoa de Varzim (, ) is a Portugal, Portuguese city in Norte Region, Portugal, Northern Portugal and sub-region of Greater Porto, from it ...

, Gandra,

Gestrins Gestrins is a Portuguese hamlet located in the parish of Balazar, Póvoa de Varzim Póvoa de Varzim (, ) is a Portugal, Portuguese city in Norte Region, Portugal, Northern Portugal and sub-region of Greater Porto, from its city centre. It sits ...

, Gresufes, Guardinhos, Lousadelo, Matinho, Monte Tapado, Outeiro, Quinta, Telo, Terra Ruim, Vela, and Vila Pouca.

References

External links

Civil Parish of Balazar

Sanctuary of Balazar
{{DEFAULTSORT:Balazar (Povoa de Varzim) Parishes of Póvoa de Varzim

History

Geography

Localities

See also

References

External links