São Roque

São Roque may refer to:

Places

Brazil

Portugal

Azores

Madeira

Other uses

São Roque, Ponta Delgada

São Roque is a civil parish in the municipality of Ponta Delgada in the Portuguese archipelago of the Azores. The population in 2011 was 4,932, in an area of 7.21 square kilometres (2.78 sq mi).

History

Its founding originated in the 16th century, although the first documents, referring to the São Roque date to 1563. The Azores Archive, stated:

The parochial church to St. Roch, remotes the 16th century, and was altered in the 17th and 18th century, and was erected over the an older temple sited in the cliffs. The primitive hermitage was built in the 16th century; Gaspar Frutuoso, the chronicler and humanist was relatively silent on when it was founded, but referred to the 15th century.

Geography

The parish of São Roque, which is situated along the southern coast of Ponta Delgada, and includes smaller neighbourhoods such as Praia dos Santos, Terreiro, Madalena, Poço Velho and Pico das Canas. It is primarily known for its main beaches, that include Praia de São Roque, and the much larger Praia da Milicia, which is normally confused with the neighbouring Praia do Pópulo (in Livramento). Along with the civil parish of Livramento, the region is known as the unincorporated district of Rosto do Cão.

São Roque (Funchal)

São Roque is a civil parish in the northern part of the municipality of Funchal in the archipelago of Madeira. The population in 2011 was 9,385, in an area of 7.50 km².

History

The lands associated with São Roque were once part of a much larger parish of Sé, but later, for a short period it was part of São Pedro. The eccliastical parish of São Roque was dismembered from São Pedro and neighbouring São Martinho by Cardinal Infante Henrique on 3rd March 1579. The Cardinal authorised the prelate of Funchal to create a new parish within the dominion of Sé. This was instituted with its parish seat at the ancient chapel of São Roque, constructed by the residents at the beginning of the 16th century, probably from local funds collected by Funchal's citizens (Saint Roch was the patron saint of Funchal protecting them from the plague, during the early part of the 16th century).

The small chapel provided its name to a church later erected in 1704, not far from the original building (which remains standing, and is referred to locally as the Igreja Velha, or small church, in Portuguese). But, during the construction there were budgetary deficits, resulting in a slow building process, that eventually resulted in the building's ruin by 1790. A newer church, chiefed (?) by engineer António Vila Vicêncio, was later erected; its main construction continued until 1820, but was finally completed in the middle of the 19th century.