Church Of St Paul

Church Of St Paul Information :

Location: Lies on the road from Old Goa to Ponda.
Main Attraction: Old ruins of the brilliant church.
How to Reach: Local transport within Goa is available round the clock.

About the Church Of St Paul :

Two priests are to be credited for the establishment of Church of St Paul. Their names are Fr. Diogo de Borba and Fr. Miguel Vaz who were members of the Holy Faith. They had come to to train new young converts. To these priests also go the credit of founding the Santa Fé Confraternity. The church they built is dedicated to Goa St Paul. The construction of the Church of St Paul was started in November 1541 and was terminated on January 25, 1543 – the feast day of the Conversion of St. Paul. Some years later, after St. Francis Xavier had taken over due to Fr Borba’s death in 1548, the college building was razed and the two separate edifices were constructed. They were the Seminário de Santa Fé (for students) and the Colégio de São Paulo (for residence of the Jesuits). These two buildings were connected by a passage, were constructed.

The College had a large library and Asia’s first printing press. There were also several other buildings to the St Paul’s College. Three of them were a Novitiate, a Hospital and a house to shelter the newly converted. In 1556, King Dom Joao III brought out an regulation which allowed the College to be opened for secular studies. In 1560 the Church of St Paul was again dismantled due to weak condition. So, as a replacement, the foundation for a larger Church was laid. Twenty years later, cracks appeared on one of the walls. So the three arches were built in the Church, under the supervision of Jesuit João de Faria, to provide support to any instability in the structure.

The church is also the place where the martyrs of Cuncolim lie buried. However, by the year 1827, the College and the Church of St Paul was in shambles. The Church of St Paul was demolished in 1829 by the Government. Only the façade was spared. The presence of Francis Xavier was the greatest respect that this institution has received so far; moreover, the first public exposition of his body after his death took place in the Church of St. Paul.

The Church Of St. Anne

The Church Of St. Anne Information :

Location: On the banks of Siridao River (Talaulim).
Main Attraction: Indian architecture with a touch of the European flavor, Feast of St. Anne.
How to reach: Easily accessible from all major cites of Goa.

About the The Church Of St. Anne in Goa :

The most renowned and distinguished church in Goa, known for its excellent architecture, is that of St Anne. The locals fondly call it 'Santana'. It was reconstructed by Mons Francisco do Rego with his own funds and with the contributions of some villagers. Unfortunately he could not complete the task and the responsibility fell on Fr Antonio Francisco da Cunha for its completion which he did 1965. The main altar is dedicated to St. Anne- the mother of Mary. There is a belief that the main altar is devoted to this beloved Saint due to certain reasons. The most famous story is as follows.

A priest, who was living in the local area, was assigned for the conversions of the villagers of Talaulim. He decided to construct a small holy place, though he failed to sanctify the same in honor of any known Saint. However a villager claimed that he saw an old woman coming down the hill station with a walking cane and a hat and claimed that the hermitage was her abode and wanted to set her residence therein. The priest disseminated this instance all through the village. An old Brahmin lady claimed that when she was seriously ill the same old lady appeared to her in her dreams and held her hand to raise her from bed. She said that her name was Anne and wanted an abode in the village. The lady was miraculously cured thereafter. The priest then dedicated the church in the name of St. Anne.

The feast of St Anne falls on July 26 every year. It is celebrated throughout Goa, but the village of Talaulim celebrates it with more festivity. It is known as 'Touceachem Fest' or Cucumber Feast there. It is a recorded fact that though the Portuguese introduced their Christian festivals to Goa, the Goans with their distinctive ingenuity customized these festivals in goa to be appropriate to their seasons without shifting the dates. On this day, the Goans give lots of offerings in the honor of the Saint and pray to fulfill their wishes.

It is noteworthy that the Church of St. Anne follows the Indian architecture fused with Western scheme of measure ments. Thus we see the Indian touch on the basic architecture and the European influence on the placements of the interior parts.

Ruins Of Church Of St. Augustine

Ruins Of Church Of St. Augustine Information :

Location: Old Goa, on top of Holy Hill, Panaji.
Main Attraction: A 46 m high tower.
How to Reach: Local transport within Goa is easily available.

About the Ruins Of Church Of St. Augustine in Goa :

he Church of St Augustine was constructed by the joint efforts of 12 Augustian Friars after they arrived at Goa on 3rd September 1572 AD. They built the church on the Holy Hill at Old Goa. The construction of the church was completed by 1602 AD. A ban was later issued against the Augustines by the Portuguese government. So they deserted the church and the convent alongside it. Both the church and the convent are in ruins now. However, the lofty 46-metre high Bell Tower – without the bell – still remains; making up a major portion of the ruins. The bell was later placed in the Fort Aguada Light House, where it remained from 1841 to 1871 AD. Finally it was put in the church of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception at Panaji in 1871 AD and, amazingly, it is in working condition today.

The bell tower that remains among the ruins belongs to one of the four of the St. Augustine Churchs that once stood there. In the glory days there used to be, attached to the church, four altars, eight chapels, and a convent with many cells. The Church of St Augustine, when it was intact, was supposed to be the biggest in Goa. The façade and half of the tower fell in 1931; and 1938 saw some more collapse of parts. After being deserted by the Augustines, the convent was used for missionary and charity work by the charitable institution of the Misericordia for quite a while. However, the buildings finally fell into neglect. This resulted in the collapse of the vault on 8 September 1842. As a direct result of all these occurrences, the Government appropriated the property and sold the materials of the remains of the church in 1843.

Mary Immaculate Conception Church

Information of Mary Immaculate Conception Church:

Location : Panaji city, North Goa
How to Reach : Local transport in Panaji
Significance : Dedicated to Mother Mary
Festivals : Feast of the Immaculate Conception in December every year.

About the Mary Immaculate Conception Church :

The Church of Mary Immaculate Conception is posited in Panjim. The church is said to have been in existence by 1541. However, the early church of Mary Immaculate Conception was re-built in 1619. After Panjim became the capital of Goa, the great bell of the Church of Our Lady of Grace in Old Goa (the Bell of the Inquisition) was also moved to this church from Aguada in 1841. This bell, which is now in the church of Mary Immaculate Conception is reputed for being the world 2nd largest bell.

The inside of the church of Mary Immaculate Conception is relatively simple in design. The main altar is dedicated to Mary Immaculate. There are two heavily gilded and carved alters dedicated to Jesus Crucified and to Our Lady of the Rosary lying on either side of the main one. At the side of each of these flanking alters is a marble statue, one of St Peter and one of St Paul. In the south transept of the main altar is the Chapel of St. Francis Xavier with a glass-encased statue of him. This statue was initially located in the Idalcao Palace and was moved here in 1918 when the chapel there was dismantled.

The best time to visit the church of Mary Immaculate Conception – apart from the night time – is during the feast days. The locals celebrate the Feast of Our Lady of Fatima at the end of May (according to the Church calendar). The Feast of the Immaculate Conception is celebrated every year in Margao and Panjim on 8th December. In Panjim there is a 3 day fete to celebrate the occasion. These stalls sell garments, souvenirs, miniatures, handicrafts, sweets (called hajem by the locals), food and drink.