in Brazil. This was later supplanted by emigration to the United States. The parish continued to be part of the municipality of Santa Cruz das Flores, between 18 November 1895 and 13 January 1898, when Lajes was suppressed. Geography The parish of Mosteiro is part of the municipality of Lajes das Flores, whose municipal seat is located . With an area of , it was one of the smallest parishes in Portugal, constituted by the settlements of Mosteiro and the locality of Caldeira. The parish and pure coastal waters is a natural sanctuary for endemic, maritime flora and fauna, many unexplored, offering excellent conditions for fishing, diving and nautical sports. Economy Agriculture, herding and a subsistence economy supports the economy of the parish. Cultivation of lands and raising of dairy/cattle are the essential parts of the islands' economy. Almost all the residents raise dairy cattle, on a susbsistence basis, in particular pastures and greenspace, resulting in the associated nickname Green Meat (). Considered a specialty market, the meat produce has become a regional mark for the island. Mosteiro is the centre of the regional public school for basic and 1st cycle instruction, but is inoperationive due to the lack of students. Helping to support its nascent tourist market, the parish maintains several historical buildings and structures; these include parochial church, the Império de Divino Espírito Santo, the watermills and lookouts, such as the Chafariz da Caldeira, Cabeço do Sinal, Cabeço da Muda, Vista do Portal Poio and Cruz dos Bredos. Architecture Civic Haylofts of Mosteiro (), a group of haylofts characterized by two story buildings of local stone, dating from the 19th century; Religious Church of Santíssima Trindade (), an 18th-century, Revivalist temple, comprising a single nave and presbytery, with a well-illuminated interior and ceilings of wood. The principal facade was completed with a triangular frontispiece, marked by a rectangular portico and oculi, while the interior include a high altar, two lateral retables on angles, in addition to a revivalist altarpiece; Funeral Monument of António Freitas (), situated in the cemetery of Mosteiro, the funeral monument is composed of an urn elevated above four steps over a plinth, while surmounted by cross. The monument includes decorative elements, such as flowers, and to the north, the urn is decorated with a skull and crossbones. References Freguesias of Lajes das Flores