The parish of Prazeres was established by a letter from Bishop D. António Teles da Silva on February 2, 1680, based on an authorization from 1676 by Prince Regent D. Pedro. Its original seat was the Chapel of Nossa Senhora dos Prazeres, built in the 17th century. After 1680, the church was under the jurisdiction of the parishes of Paul do Mar and Estreito da Calheta, being re-established as an independent parish on March 13, 1734.
Records from 1689 indicate the church was small and needed repairs, with later recommendations for a new temple. The current one began construction in 1751, undergoing several renovations and expansions over the centuries, including significant interventions in the 1920s, 1940s, 1960s, and a restoration in 1998. In 1881, Nossa Senhora das Neves became the new patron saint of the main church, though the parish name remained Prazeres.
