Covoada is a civil parish in the municipality of

Ponta Delgada Ponta Delgada (; ) is the largest municipality (''concelho'') and economic capital of the Autonomous Region of the Azores in Portugal. It is located on São Miguel Island, the largest and most populous in the archipelago. As of 2021, it has 67,28 ...

, on the island of São Miguel in the

Azores ) , motto =( en, "Rather die free than subjected in peace") , anthem= ( en, "Anthem of the Azores") , image_map=Locator_map_of_Azores_in_EU.svg , map_alt=Location of the Azores within the European Union , map_caption=Location of the Azores wi ...

. The population in 2011 was 1,341, in an area of 9.03 km².Eurostat
It contains the localities Covoada, Nossa Senhora da Graça and Pavões.

History

The parochial church, Nossa Senhora da Ajuda, dates back to the construction of a chapel in the 16th century by Captain Gaspar de Medeiros the Older (its cupola was paid for by the Santa Casa de Misercórdia of Ponta Delgada). During the early settlement of São Miguel, from about 1846, this area pertained to the parish of Arrifes, passing to the territory of

Relva Relva is a civil parish in the municipality of Ponta Delgada in the Portuguese archipelago of the Azores. The population in 2011 was 3,006, in an area of . It contains the localities Nordela and Relva. History The area of Relva was pristine fores ...

later, until its numbers warranted the creation of a new entity. On March 2, 1958, the chapel of Nossa Senhora da Ajuda was destroyed in a violent fire; its

retable A retable is a structure or element placed either on or immediately behind and above the altar or communion table of a church. At the minimum it may be a simple shelf for candles behind an altar, but it can also be a large and elaborate structur ...

and the image of Nossa Senhora da Ajuda were lost. In ashes of the temple, the residents were able to save a few books and documents, and an image of the Virgin Mary that was located in the

baptistery In Christian architecture the baptistery or baptistry (Old French ''baptisterie''; Latin ''baptisterium''; Greek , 'bathing-place, baptistery', from , baptízein, 'to baptize') is the separate centrally planned structure surrounding the baptismal ...

. This image was transferred to the Seminary of Sr. Santo Cristo, in Ponta Delgada, where it today remains. During the reconstruction of the new church, in the latter part of the 20th century, the temple received a new bell tower. The ''Livro de Tombo'' from the Church of Nossa Senhora da Ajuda indicated the necessity to provide an independent religious parish to the faith community on October 28, 1977. It was de-annexed from Relva on September 15, 1980, under Regional Decree 24/80/A.

Geography

Covoada is a slender tract of land between the parishes of

and

Arrifes Arrifes is a civil parish in the municipality of Ponta Delgada on the island of São Miguel in the Azores ) , motto =( en, "Rather die free than subjected in peace") , anthem= ( en, "Anthem of the Azores") , image_map=Locator_map_of_Azores_in ...

that includes prime agricultural and pasturelands, interspersed with mountainous terrains covered in partial forest and scrub-brush. It is limited to an area from

Capelas Capelas (; Portuguese for ''chapels'') is a civil parish along the northern coast of the municipality of Ponta Delgada, on the island of São Miguel in the Portuguese Azores. The population in 2011 was 4,080, in an area of .Relva Relva is a civil parish in the municipality of Ponta Delgada in the Portuguese archipelago of the Azores. The population in 2011 was 3,006, in an area of . It contains the localities Nordela and Relva. History The area of Relva was pristine fores ...

and

(in the southwest and southeast respectively), and includes basin of the Serra Devassa, that includes Pico do Paúl, Pico Amêndoa, Pico Rochão, Pico das Maias and the Ladeira do Ledo. The available land has allowed the development of agriculture; cattle and dairy farming are the primary industrial sectors.

References

{{authority control Parishes of Ponta Delgada