The best traffic-free bike rides around Parque Nacional da Peneda-Gerês

Saint Michael the Archangel, whose strength and authority come directly from God, is a central figure in the Catholic faith. Known as the defender of heaven and earth, he is invoked as the protector of the faithful and the commander of the heavenly legions against the forces of evil. The name "Michael" comes from the Hebrew "Mi-ka-El," which means "Who is like God?" – a question that challenges the arrogance of Satan and his followers. Through his obedience and faithfulness to God, Saint Michael stands out as a spiritual warrior and protector of God's people. We will divide this study into three parts, highlighting his role in Sacred Scripture, his presence in Church traditions, and the reason why he is so powerful and important to Catholics. Saint Michael in Sacred Scripture Saint Michael appears in several biblical passages as a figure of protection and divine justice. In the Book of Daniel (12:1), he is described as the "great prince" who guards the people of Israel, representing the power of God that manifests in times of danger. Michael is the defender of those who are oppressed, taking the lead as the chief protector against spiritual and physical enemies. In the New Testament, Saint Michael is mentioned in the Apocalypse of Saint John (12:7-9), where he leads the heavenly armies in battle against the dragon, symbolizing Satan. This battle is one of the most iconic moments in Christian tradition, where Michael and his angels defeat the evil forces and cast them out of heaven, symbolizing God's ultimate victory over evil.

They were in the possession of the parish church until the creation of the Civil Registry, in 1911, published in the Official Gazette no. 41 of 20/02/1911. On this date, parishes were legally obliged to hand over the registers of baptisms, marriages, and deaths to the Civil Registry offices. Decree-Law no. 3286, of August 11, 1917, which creates the District Archive of Braga, stipulates in subsection i) of article 1 that the parish registries of the district must be incorporated therein, according to decree 1.630 of June 9, 1915. However, by ministerial order, and while the District Archive in Viana do Castelo, already created in 1965, was not yet installed, these archives were collected by their Braga counterpart. Finally, on September 11, 1985, the books and documents from the parish archives of the district were transferred from Braga to the District Archive of Viana do Castelo.

The scenery is amazing and very relaxing. If you do it late in the day, you can align it with the setting of the sun for a once in a lifetime event that repeats everyday!

In ancient times, the village of Ermida was an isolated place, which led people to be united and live a life of mutual aid, with a way of life that was linked to agricultural tasks and which we call communitarianism. Of course, as in all communities, in Ermida there was also time for religious celebrations and leisure, as no community lives only for work. Even so, the entire community helped and participated in celebrations, such as the festival of the patron saint Santa Marinha, around July 18th, with the raising of the arch alluding to the festival. It should be noted that, today, some traditions are still maintained in this village and that they are still linked to the agricultural and livestock calendar. However, due to the aging of the population, it was necessary to create an Association, ATACE, which currently promotes activities that keep community traditions alive and has developed others to attract tourists to the village, namely the Vezeira, the Feira da Chanfana, and the festival of olive oil and olives.

From here to Vilarinho das Furnas and back it is a comfortable 5 km, which in the summer months can sometimes be driven by car for a fee.

top zone. Take advantage and go up the plateau to Brufe.

once a year there is the Blessing of the Animals "Mixões da Serra, a village of extremes, as it is located on the border of the municipalities of Vila Verde, to which it belongs, and Ponte da Barca, and is located on the border of the Serras da Peneda and Gerês.2em

Enjoy the Ermelo Ecovia