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

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 in a sandy coastal plain, a cuspate foreland, halfway between the Minho River, Minho ...

. 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 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 Vila Nova de Famalicão (), also known as Famalicão, is a Portuguese town in the Braga District and the sub-region of Ave (intermunicipal community), Vale do Ave. The population of ''Vila Nova'' was created in 1205 with the charter given by the K ...

, but Póvoa de Varzim town hall requested its return and it was transferred back to Póvoa two years later. Balasar

The parish became famous in 2004, after the

beatification Beatification (from Latin , "blessed" and , "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 name. ''Beati'' is the p ...

of Alexandrina Maria da Costa by

Pope John Paul II Pope John Paul II (born Karol Józef Wojtyła; 18 May 19202 April 2005) was head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State from 16 October 1978 until Death and funeral of Pope John Paul II, his death in 2005. In his you ...

, on April 25 of that year. Pilgrimages to the parish church where Alexandrina's body rests were already common, and became more popular. The church is contemplating whether to make a shrine to Alexandrina, depending on the 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 * Rate (company), an American residential mortgage company formerly known as Guaranteed Rate * Rates (tax), a type of taxation system in the United Kingdom used to fund local government * Exchange rate, rate ...

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

Vila do Conde Vila do Conde (, ; "the Count's Town") is a municipality in the Norte Region, Portugal, Norte Region of Portugal. The population in 2011 was 79,533, in an area of 149.03 km2. The urbanized area of Vila do Conde, which includes the parishes of ...

Localities

The parish has several localities (''lugares'' or ''localidades''): Agrelos, Além, Bouça Velha, Calvário, Caminho Largo, Casal, Covilhã, Cruz, Escariz, Fontaínhas, Gandra, Gestrins,

Gresufes Gresufes is a Portuguese hamlet in the parish of Balasar, Póvoa de Varzim. It lies about west of Vila Nova de Famalicão. Its name is of Suebi file:1st century Germani.png, 300px, The approximate positions of some Germanic peoples reported ...

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

Sport

Associação e Desportiva Cultural Balasar is a football club that plays its home matches at the Lino Araújo sports complex. The complex was opened in 2019.

References

External links