Of Churches, Monuments and their history               Photofeature

Se Cathedral

The true glory of Old Goa can be witnessed in the church dedicated to St Catherine. At over 76 mts long and 55 mts wide, this is the largest church in Asia. The construction of Se Cathedral began in 1562 on the orders of the King of Portugal to replace the older church of St Catherine which had served as a cathedral till then. Work on the building was completed 1619 and the altars took much more time and were finished 1652. The cathedral stood on the main square of the old city and looking east from the main entrance one can visualise the city's former layout. The grassy area in front of the doors was a large market square, to the left was the Senate House and to the right was the Palace of the Inquisition. The exterior of the cathedral is notable for its plainness of style built in the Tuscan tradition. The loss of one bell tower, which collapsed in 1776 has also given it a unique look. The remaining tower holds the famous 'Golden Bell' which is the largest bell in Asia, renowned for its rich tone.

The interior of the cathedral is also plain and huge in proportion. To the right is a small, locked area which contains a font made in 1532 and said to have been used by Francis Xavier. The two small statuettes inset into the main pillars are that of St Francis Xavier and St Ignatius Loyola. There are four chapels on either side of the nave, two of which have screens across the entrance. Of these, the Chapel of the Blessed Sacrament is quite outstanding, with every inch of the wall and ceiling gilded and beautifully decorated, in contrast to the sober look of the cathedral's interior.

Opposite, on the right of the nave, is the other screened chapel, the Chapel of the Cross of Miracles. The huge, plain, cross here is reputed to have been the subject of the miracle in question. Towering above the main altar is the huge gilded reredos. Its six main panels are carved with scenes from the life of St Catherine, to whom the cathedral is dedicated. She was beheaded in Alexandria and among the images here are those showing her awaiting execution and being carried to Mount Sinai by angels.

Church of St Francis of Asissi

Behind the Se Cathedral, is the Church of St Francis of Assisi, which is one of the most interesting buildings in Old Goa. Franciscan Friars, on their arrival in 1517, built a small chapel on this site. In 1521, it was replaced by a church consecrated to the Holy Ghost. This church was subsequently rebuilt in 1661, and only the doorway of the old building was left intact to be incorporated into the new structure. This original doorway, in ornate Manueline style, contrasts strongly with the rest of the façade which is quite plain.

The interior of the church is particularly beautiful, perhaps because the skills of the local artisans were given greater freedom. The walls and ceiling are heavily gilded and covered with carved wood panels and there are large paintings on wood on the walls of the chancel. A huge arch that supports the choir, painted vividly with floral designs along with the intricately carved pulpit are worth taking a look at.

The four statues in the lower part of the reredos are of the apostles and above the reredos is Jesus Christ on the Cross. The symbolism of this scene is unmistakable. Jesus has his right arm free to embrace St Francis, who is standing on the three vows of the Franciscan order- poverty, humility and obedience. Like the other churches in Old Goa, this one has the tombstones of many Portuguese gentry laid into the floor. The font, just beside the door, is made up partly of a fragment of an old pillar from a Hindu temple.

Archaeological Museum

The convent at the back of St Francis of Assisi is now an Archaeological Museum. It houses fragments of sculpture from Hindu temple sites in Goa, which show Chalukyan and Hoysala influences, besides stone Bethaal images from the animist cult which flourished in Goa centuries ago. Also there are two large bronze statues, that of the Portuguese poet Llii's Vaz de Camoes, which once stood in the area between the Se Cathedral and the Basilica of Bom Jesus and that of Alphonso de Albuquerque, which stood at Miramar. Upstairs, a gallery contains portraits of the Portuguese viceroys.

 Photofeature

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