Complex sentence: In a description by Francisco A. Chaves e Melo, the church in Pilar appeared as the center of religious life in this zone, before 1716, an area that encompassed not only present-day Pilar, but also the local community of João Bom.
Split into simpler sentences: In a description by Francisco A. Chaves e Melo, the church in Pilar appeared as the center of religious life in this zone, before 1716. An area that encompassed not only present-day Pilar, but also the local community of João Bom.