Abaiara
| Statistics | |
| State: | Ceará |
| Area: | 182.6 km² |
| Area (% of the state) | 0,14% |
| Population: | 7,217 |
| Pop. density: | 45.2 inh./km² |
| Latitude: | 7°21'32" |
| Longitude: | 39°02'44" |
| Timezone: | GMT−3 |
| Altitude: | 400m |
| Official Day: | September 4 |
| Name meaning: | Homem Ilustre (in Portuguese) |
| Distance from capital: | 508 km |
| Official saint: | Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic |
| Map | |
Abaiara is a city in the south region of the state of Ceará, Brazil.
History
Its history goes back to the 19th century, when two farmers, José Leite da Cunha and José Júlio Sampaio, settled in the area.
Political evolution
The first political event occurred just after the creation of the Distrito da Paz on March 27, 1873. Abaiara was first elevated to the condition of Vila on December 20, 1938 under the name of Pedro Segundo. The name was not very popular with the inhabitants and was soon replaced with the current name on December 30, 1943. Abaiara was elevated to the category of City on March 25, 1957.
Religion
The first non-indigenous religious event took place when Father José Antônio de Araújo erected the first church which later became the central point in the city. With the growth of the city and the natural degradation of the first church, it become obvious that a new church was necessary. This second was built next to the first one (to avoid hurting the feelings of the population). The second church was dedicated to the Immaculate Heart of Mary and was made possible due to the actions of José Júlio Sampaio. However the official saint remained Sacred Heart of Jesus.