The cathedral remotes to the primitive church started by Álvaro Martins Homem in 1461, who dedicated it to the Holy Saviour (Portuguese: São Salvador), which was completed in 1496, that date that the first vicar was nominated.

[1] The first prelate of the new diocese was D. Agostinho Ribeiro who, arriving in 1535, encountered the small, old Church of São Salvador, which was incompatible with its functions as mother-church of the Azores.

For this project 3000 cruzados was budgeted annually from royal rights to woad on the island of São Miguel, as long as the construction lasted.

Although the first master was Luís Gonçalves Cotta, the designer of the cathedral, whose plan was sent to the Cortes in 1568 (and later altered in 1572 by King Sebastian of Portugal), was never known.

Although unclear, it was believed that designed by the same royal master involved in the construction of the cathedrals in Leiria, Portalegre and Miranda do Douro (several decades earlier).

The tribal king Gungunhana and his fellow exiles were baptized at the cathedral on 16 April 1899, by the bishop of Angra, D. Francisco José Ribeiro de Vieira e Brito, assisted by many of the principal notables of the island.

[2] In the late part of the 20th century, a statue of Pope John Paul II was erected to mark the papal visit to the islands of the archipelago, and specifically his passage on 11 May 1991.

At that time, lands were donated by Estevão Cerveira Borges, but owing to the lack of space when the construction began at the end of the 16th century, the axis of the church was oriented toward the north.

(The reconstruction of this Cathedral after the Earthquake of 1 January 1980 and the blessing by Cardinal Patriarch of Lisbon, occurred on 3 of November 1985, during the time of Bishop of Angra D. Aurélio Granada Escudeiro).

The oldest bell is inscribed with Depaire Virgini A Conceptione Dicatum, Lucas Roiz Palavra Fect Anno 1714, l de 6, with an image in bass-relief of Our Lady of the Conception.

On the grating fronting the Rua da Sé is a Latin cross with the inscription: Francisco Rodrigues Bella o fez em Lisboa no anno de 1834.

The large bell, has a Latin cross in bass relief with two inlaid circles, with the inscription: Faustino Alves Guerra o fez em Lisboa no anno de 1782 and Francisco Rodrigues Bellas o fez em Lisboa no anno de 1843 (that includes the doves symbolizing the Holy Spirit and two bronze circles).

At this register, oriented towards the Rua Carreira dos Cavalos is the four great bells representing the four principal cities of the archipelago: Ponta Delgada, Ribeira Grande, Praia da Vitória and Horta.

On the second register of the small belfrey (towards the Rua da Carreira dos Cavalos) are the bells representing the three more populous towns: Lagoa, Vila Franca do Campo and Povoação.

[4] The baptistery is a fundamental part of the temple, and used throughout the centuries by local Angrenses of Sé, including Beato João Baptista Machado, who was martyred in Japan around 1610.

[5] The Chapel of Senhor Jesus dos Aflitos (Lord of the Afflicted) was derived from the first temple established by Diogo Álvares Vieira and his wife Beatriz Anes Camacho, and today is the location of the tomb of Francisco Dias do Carvalhal, the founder and prominent figure in the history of Angra from the 16th century.

On the altar of this chapel is a group of sculptures representing Christ in Calvary, the Virgin Mary and alternately Saint John, which were ordered from Lisbon by Bishop D. António Vieira Leitão in 1706.

The Chapel of Santo Estêvão (Saint Stephen) was instituted by Estevão Cerveira Borges, a noblemen responsible for the donation of lands for the construction of the church in 1570.

[5] This chapel includes an image of martyred Saint Stephen, in the vestments of a deacon, and a coral rosewood bookcase inlaid with ivory, that was transferred from the Convent of São Francisco in Angra do Heroísmo.

The Chapel of São Pedro ad Vincula (Saint Peter in Chains) was established by Canon Luís de Almeida (who died in 1631) who embellished and decorated it until his death: a tombstone marks the founders marker.

[5] Within the chapel, in 1604, a commemorative plaque was mounted to mark the 400 years of the Irmandade de São Pedro Ad Vincula dos Cléricos Pobres (Brotherhood of the Chains of Saint Peter of the Poor Clerics).

A Baroque image of São Pedro das Cadeias (Chains of Saint Peter) is the centerpiece of this altar, along with a Rosewood grade, and its artifacts, along with the sacristy annex were ordered complete by the Brotherhood in the 18th century.

The presbytery is the centrepiece of the Church of the Azores, marked by the Bishop's cathedra and choir, established with the founding of the Dioceses in 1534, that includes seating for five dignitaries and 12 canons.

In the sacristy, of appreciable dimensions, is a great Baroque rosewood cupboard where the vestments are kept, and also pieces of furniture and art dating the history of the institution.

This annex remains in a poor condition following its abandon, in 1829, when the majority of its silver artifacts were expropriated by the Casa da Moeda de Angra, and the 20th century damages caused by the 1980 earthquake.