met by another group of faithful carrying a statue of the Virgin Mary. At the church the groups prayed for "redemption and mercy". During the course of their benedictions, the community made a pledge to continue to celebrate masses of penance, devotion and thanksgiving on future anniversaries in the name of Senhor Santo Cristo; as they pledged "for every year as long as the earth existed...at the municipality's expense...with all officials...assisted by all communities, to be made at your church of Praia...at all expense necessary". Following the beginning of the First Portuguese Republic until 1926, owing to an anti-religious secularism in the political administration in Portugal (and the Azores), the masses of thanksgiving were discontinued. After the 1926 Horta earthquake which destroyed 204 houses out of 220 in Praia do Almoxarife, a new petition by citizens, to renew the tradition, was forwarded to the Ministério do Interior (Ministry of the Interior), where the minister authorized the chief of the district to renew the tradition. Geography Nestled between Lomba da Espalamaca and Lomba dos Frades, the parish is primarily an agricultural settlement. Bisected by the eastern Regional Road E.R.1-1ª, the community is divided to an eastern beach community, and western pastureland that extends westerly to the island's caldera. The parish contains the localities Caminho do Meio, Canada dos Cedros, Facho, Fenandega, Ladeira da Praia, Lomba, Praia, Ramada and Rocha Vermelha. Sights and architecture Close to Largo Coronel Silva Leal, the centre of the municipality, several old houses built in the traditional style of the island can be seen in the small lanes of Rua da Igreja and Rua Padre António Cândido Avelar. Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Graça, the comparatively large parish church, was mentioned in a document in 1568 for the first time. Having been burnt by privateers in 1597 it was rebuilt in a baroque style in 1758 with two side chapels and two tall towers. The church was severely damaged by an earthquake on 9 July 1998 and repaired afterwards. A small park with a pavilion was laid out in front of the church. Opposite the church a small Holy Spirit Chapel was built, Império da Trindade. The years 1873 and 1943 were painted onto the façade, 1873 referring to the construction and 1943 referring to the renovation of the chapel. Economy Due to its relative proximity to Horta, the community has become a surrogate for tourist and