Balasar or Balazar is a Portuguese

Portugal

Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...

 parish, located in the municipality of Póvoa de Varzim

Póvoa de Varzim

Póvoa de Varzim is a Portuguese city in the Norte Region and sub-region of Greater Porto, with a 2011 estimated population of 63,364. According to the 2001 census, there were 63,470 inhabitants with 42,396 living in the city proper. The urban area expanded, southwards, to Vila do Conde, and there...

. As of the 2001 census it had a population of 2,475 and a total area of 11.57 km².

History

The parish belonged to Barcelos

Barcelos

Barcelos Municipality is located in Braga District, in the north of Portugal. It has a total population of 123,831 and an area of 378.9 km². With 89 parishes, it is the municipality with the highest number of parishes in the country, as well as the city of Barcelos...

 until 1836, when it was transferred to Póvoa de Varzim. In 1853 it was transferred to Vila Nova de Famalicão

Vila Nova de Famalicão

Vila Nova de Famalicão is a municipality in the district of Braga, in the north of Portugal. It is composed of 49 parishes.The municipality has a population of 131,690 inhabitants and a total area of 201.7....

, but returned to Póvoa's municipality two years later.

The parish became famous in 2004, after the beatification

Beatification

Beatification is a recognition accorded by the Catholic Church of a dead person's entrance into Heaven and capacity to intercede on behalf of individuals who pray in his or her name . Beatification is the third of the four steps in the canonization process...

 of Alexandrina Maria da Costa

Alexandrina Maria da Costa

Alexandrina Maria da Costa , also known as Blessed Alexandrina of Balasar, was a Portuguese mystic of the Eucharist, who was born and died in Balasar . Alexandrina left many written works, which have been studied mainly in Italy by Fr. Umberto Pasquale and Signorile couple...

 by Pope John Paul II

Pope John Paul II

Blessed Pope John Paul II , born Karol Józef Wojtyła , reigned as Pope of the Catholic Church and Sovereign of Vatican City from 16 October 1978 until his death on 2 April 2005, at of age. His was the second-longest documented pontificate, which lasted ; only Pope Pius IX ...

, on April 25 of that year. Pilgramiges 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 of number of pilgrims and if she is declared a saint.

Geography

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

Rates

Rates is a Portuguese parish and town located in the municipality of Póvoa de Varzim. In the census of 2001, it had a population of 2,539 inhabitants and a total area of 13.88 square kilometres.-History:...

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

Hamlets

The parish is divided in 22 hamlets (lugares): Agrelos, Além

Além

Além is a Portuguese hamlet located in the parish of Balasar, Póvoa de Varzim....

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

Fontaínhas

Fontaínhas is a Portuguese hamlet located between the parishes of Balasar and Rates in Póvoa de Varzim....

, Gandra

Gandra

Gandra may refer to:* Gandra - freguesia no concelho de Esposende, Portugal* Gandra - freguesia no concelho de Paredes, Portugal* Gandra - freguesia no concelho de Ponte de Lima, Portugal...

, Gestrins

Gestrins

Gestrins is a Portuguese hamlet located in the parish of Balasar, Póvoa de Varzim....

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