São João (Lajes do Pico)

São João
Civil Parish
The coast along São João, showing village, looking towards the summit of Pico, in the west
Coat of arms
Official name: Freguesia de São João
Name origin: Portuguese for Saint John
Country	Portugal
Autonomous Region	Azores
Island	Pico
Municipality	Lajes do Pico
Localities	Areia, Canada de Baixo, Canada de Cima
Center	São João
- elevation	34 m (112 ft)
- coordinates	38°24′55″N 28°19′58″W / 38.41528°N 28.33278°W / 38.41528; -28.33278Coordinates: 38°24′55″N 28°19′58″W / 38.41528°N 28.33278°W / 38.41528; -28.33278
Highest point	Mount Pico
- elevation	2,351 m (7,713 ft)
- coordinates	38°28′6″N 28°23′56″W / 38.46833°N 28.39889°W / 38.46833; -28.39889
Lowest point	Sea level
- location	Atlantic Ocean
- elevation	0 m (0 ft)
Area	32.94 km2 (13 sq mi)
- urban	.41 km2 (0 sq mi)
Population	423 (2011)
Density	13/km2 (34/sq mi)
Settlement	fl. 15th century
- Parish	1700
LAU	Junta Freguesia
- location	Estrada Regional
President Junta	José Armindo Alves Gonçalves (PPD/PSD)
Timezone	Azores (UTC-1)
- summer (DST)	Azores (UTC0)
Postal Zone	9930-456
Area Code & Prefix	(+351) 292 XX XX XX
Patron Saint	São João
Location of the civil parish of São João in the municipality of Lajes do Pico

São João, named for John the Baptist (in Portuguese) is a civil parish in the municipality of Lajes do Pico in the Portuguese archipelago of the Azores. It is the only civil parish in the municipality with a frontier on the summit of Pico (2,351 meters). The population in 2011 was 423, in an area of 32.94 km².

Oral tradition holds that São João was part of a large southern parish of São Mateus, in the primitive locality of Arruda, some 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) from the centre of Lajes. The name, Arruda came from a medicinal herb that prospered in the landscape of the parish, a region known for extensive arable agricultural parcels dedicated to cereal production (particularly wheat). At the time of settlement, the parochial church held an extensive 20 alqueires of land in cultivation, as well receiving an annual tithe equal to 15 alqueires. Even today the lands around Areia between São Mateus and São João were considered the most productive of this region. Yet, the residents of this area did not only dedicate to cereal production, instead dividing themselves between the fishery and raising of cattle and sheep for wool.

Owing to the growth in population, São Mateus began to be divided into smaller territories, resulting in the dismemberment of Arruda, that would give origin to São João Baptista. Around 1619 a small hermitage was erected by Domingos Marques and his wife, Silveira do Macedo, dedicated to this patron, whose image appeared on the beach. The small hermitage was expanded and elevated to the status of parochia (ecclesiastical parish) possibly after 1700, from affirmations of Ms. Silveira de Macedo. It is unclear when the religious parish was eventually elevated to civil parish, owing to the rarity of records.

Between February and June 1718 the region was hit by violent volcanic eruption, necessitating the removal of the Blessed Sacrament from the sanctuary, first to the Hermitage of Santo António, then later to the Hermitage of São Bartolomeu in the locality of Silveira (Lajes do Pico). It was only on November 2, 1719 that the reliquary and images were returned to the hermitage of Santo António, following a lit procession, since the primitive church in Arruda was completely destroyed by lavas from the eruption. Today, the site is marked by a modest cross over mound of lava. Another eruption occurred in 1720 that isolated the community: after the 1718 a lava field had intersected the only connection to São Mateus, and in 1720, another lava field had cut-off access to Lajes. These fields, apart from restricting access to the community, also inundated the productive agricultural lands, coming to be referred to as terrenos brejeiros or poor terrains.