São Marcos da Serra
Encyclopedia
São Marcos da Serra is a Portuguese
parish in the municipality
(concelho
) of Silves. The village is 27.2 kilometres (16.9 mi) north north east of the town of Silves and is 250 kilometres (155.3 mi) south south east of Lisbon
. The village is in an area were the two mountain ridges of Caldeirão and the Monchique
meet. The Odelouca Stream skirts around the village and is known locally as the São Marcos Stream. The Odelouca stream receives water from two tributary streams called the Azilheire and the Besteiros.
village
with its buildings spread over the slope of the ground with steep streets. At the highest point of the village is the parish church
. The church stands in a square were in recent times a new market has been built on the western side. Within the village square there is a landscaped garden. On one side is the Parish Church and opposite is the village health centre. In the middle of the square there is a statue of a man by the name of Doctor Antonio Bernardino Ramos. Dr. Bernardino Ramos was a much respected doctor who practised and lived in São Marcos da Serra. People came to him from near and far for treatment and the Doctor treated poor people free of charge. To honour him for all the good he did, the parish named the street that he used to live in after him and placed his statue in this prominent position in the centre of the square. The fact that this was already done when he was still alive, made him feel rather uncomfortable. On the heights next to the railway line there are two recent developments districts called Poleirão and Montezinhos. Most of the village buildings are painted in whitewash
which makes them stand out from the countryside. There are several café
s and a restaurant
on the village square.
passing through Santana da Serra and Ourique. There is also a direct road from the village to Silves which has been constructed in recent years. Municipal road 541 links the village to Alferce via Nave Redonda. There is a bus service in the morning and afternoon between the village and São Bartolomeu de Messines
. The village is served by a railway station which is 1 kilometre (0.621372736649807 mi) south from the village center.
. There are also fields where grain is harvested in considerable quantity, including wheat
, barley
and oats
. In the hills surrounding the village Wax and Honey is also collected from the beehives. The area is also favored by local hunters. In the village gardens next to the stream fruit and vegetables of many varieties are grown. At one time there was a special variety of peach
grown but this has unfortunately now died out. The village is also renowned for a arbutus
brandy
which is called Comel which is made in still in the local distillery. There are several old windmill
s on the hills around the village. Technology is also represented, as the new music recording technology known as Dynamic Convolution has been invented here, and award winning music recording products are continuing to be developed in the area.
. These events in the north of Algarve are attracting many pilgrims to the place of the apparitions. The Holy See
has never officially approved or disapproved this apparitions.
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 in the municipality
Municipalities of Portugal
In Portugal, municipality or concelho is the most stable subdivision of Portugal since the foundation of the country.Portugal has an entirely separate system of cities and towns. Cities and towns are located in municipalities, but often do not have the same boundaries, even if built-up is continuous...
(concelho
Concelho
Concelho , in the Portuguese language, is the word municipality, when referring to the territory. The word município is used when municipality means the organ of State...
) of Silves. The village is 27.2 kilometres (16.9 mi) north north east of the town of Silves and is 250 kilometres (155.3 mi) south south east of Lisbon
Lisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
. The village is in an area were the two mountain ridges of Caldeirão and the Monchique
Serra de Monchique
The Serra de Monchique is a chain of mountains in the western part of the Algarve region of Portugal. The chain's highest point is the peak of Fóia, at 902 meters.The town of Monchique is located in this area....
meet. The Odelouca Stream skirts around the village and is known locally as the São Marcos Stream. The Odelouca stream receives water from two tributary streams called the Azilheire and the Besteiros.
Description
São Marcos takes its name from Saint Mark the Evangelist. The village is a typical mountainMountain
Image:Himalaya_annotated.jpg|thumb|right|The Himalayan mountain range with Mount Everestrect 58 14 160 49 Chomo Lonzorect 200 28 335 52 Makalurect 378 24 566 45 Mount Everestrect 188 581 920 656 Tibetan Plateaurect 250 406 340 427 Rong River...
village
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
with its buildings spread over the slope of the ground with steep streets. At the highest point of the village is the parish church
Parish church
A parish church , in Christianity, is the church which acts as the religious centre of a parish, the basic administrative unit of episcopal churches....
. The church stands in a square were in recent times a new market has been built on the western side. Within the village square there is a landscaped garden. On one side is the Parish Church and opposite is the village health centre. In the middle of the square there is a statue of a man by the name of Doctor Antonio Bernardino Ramos. Dr. Bernardino Ramos was a much respected doctor who practised and lived in São Marcos da Serra. People came to him from near and far for treatment and the Doctor treated poor people free of charge. To honour him for all the good he did, the parish named the street that he used to live in after him and placed his statue in this prominent position in the centre of the square. The fact that this was already done when he was still alive, made him feel rather uncomfortable. On the heights next to the railway line there are two recent developments districts called Poleirão and Montezinhos. Most of the village buildings are painted in whitewash
Whitewash
Whitewash, or calcimine, kalsomine, calsomine, or lime paint is a very low-cost type of paint made from slaked lime and chalk . Various other additives are also used...
which makes them stand out from the countryside. There are several café
Café
A café , also spelled cafe, in most countries refers to an establishment which focuses on serving coffee, like an American coffeehouse. In the United States, it may refer to an informal restaurant, offering a range of hot meals and made-to-order sandwiches...
s and a restaurant
Restaurant
A restaurant is an establishment which prepares and serves food and drink to customers in return for money. Meals are generally served and eaten on premises, but many restaurants also offer take-out and food delivery services...
on the village square.
Transport and Communication
The village is a little to the west of the IC1 road which runs from the Algarve to LisbonLisbon
Lisbon is the capital city and largest city of Portugal with a population of 545,245 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Lisbon extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of 3 million on an area of , making it the 9th most populous urban...
passing through Santana da Serra and Ourique. There is also a direct road from the village to Silves which has been constructed in recent years. Municipal road 541 links the village to Alferce via Nave Redonda. There is a bus service in the morning and afternoon between the village and São Bartolomeu de Messines
São Bartolomeu de Messines
São Bartolomeu de Messines is a Portuguese Parish in the Municipality of Silves. It has an area of 246.41 km² and a population of 8,491 with a population density of 34.5 hab/km²....
. The village is served by a railway station which is 1 kilometre (0.621372736649807 mi) south from the village center.
Produce
The main produce of São Marcos da Serra area is CorkCork (material)
Cork is an impermeable, buoyant material, a prime-subset of bark tissue that is harvested for commercial use primarily from Quercus suber , which is endemic to southwest Europe and northwest Africa...
. There are also fields where grain is harvested in considerable quantity, including wheat
Wheat
Wheat is a cereal grain, originally from the Levant region of the Near East, but now cultivated worldwide. In 2007 world production of wheat was 607 million tons, making it the third most-produced cereal after maize and rice...
, barley
Barley
Barley is a major cereal grain, a member of the grass family. It serves as a major animal fodder, as a base malt for beer and certain distilled beverages, and as a component of various health foods...
and oats
OATS
OATS - Open Source Assistive Technology Software - is a source code repository or "forge" for assistive technology software. It was launched in 2006 with the goal to provide a one-stop “shop” for end users, clinicians and open-source developers to promote and develop open source assistive...
. In the hills surrounding the village Wax and Honey is also collected from the beehives. The area is also favored by local hunters. In the village gardens next to the stream fruit and vegetables of many varieties are grown. At one time there was a special variety of peach
Peach
The peach tree is a deciduous tree growing to tall and 6 in. in diameter, belonging to the subfamily Prunoideae of the family Rosaceae. It bears an edible juicy fruit called a peach...
grown but this has unfortunately now died out. The village is also renowned for a arbutus
Arbutus
Arbutus is a genus of at least 14 species of flowering plants in the family Ericaceae, native to warm temperate regions of the Mediterranean, western Europe, and North America.-Description:...
brandy
Brandy
Brandy is a spirit produced by distilling wine. Brandy generally contains 35%–60% alcohol by volume and is typically taken as an after-dinner drink...
which is called Comel which is made in still in the local distillery. There are several old windmill
Windmill
A windmill is a machine which converts the energy of wind into rotational energy by means of vanes called sails or blades. Originally windmills were developed for milling grain for food production. In the course of history the windmill was adapted to many other industrial uses. An important...
s on the hills around the village. Technology is also represented, as the new music recording technology known as Dynamic Convolution has been invented here, and award winning music recording products are continuing to be developed in the area.
Marian apparitions
Since 1999, some reported apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title of Mother of Goodness are occurring near São Marcos da Serra and are receiving many attention worldwide, in particular by the Catholic youth and priestsPriesthood (Catholic Church)
The ministerial orders of the Catholic Church include the orders of bishops, deacons and presbyters, which in Latin is sacerdos. The ordained priesthood and common priesthood are different in function and essence....
. These events in the north of Algarve are attracting many pilgrims to the place of the apparitions. The Holy See
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
has never officially approved or disapproved this apparitions.