Churches and Convents of Goa

Dr Uday Dokras
Karan Dokras
Architect Srishti Dokras

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The Churches and Convents of Goa are a group of Catholic religious buildings that have been influential
for spreading both the faith and their Portuguese style of art and architecture around Asia.There are more
thsn 1000 churches here all too numerous to quote.

They are located in Old Goa, which from 1565 was the capital of the Portuguese Indies. It was abandoned
as such in 1760 because of a malaria outbreak.

North Goa Churches- Churches in and around Aldona

 Our Lady of Immaculate Conception Church, Moira, Goa
 St. Sebastian Church, Calvim, Goa
 St. Thomas the Apostle Church, Aldona, Goa
 Church of Good Jesus, Nachinola, Goa
 Mother of God Church, Pomburpa, Goa
 Our Lady of Penha de Franca Church, Penha De Franca, Goa
 Saviour of the World Church, Salvador Do Mundo, Goa
 St. Anne Church, Olaulim, Goa
o Churches in and around Bicholim
o Churches in and around Calangute
o Churches in and around Mapusa
o Churches in and around Pernem
o Churches in and around Siolim

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South Goa Churches

 Churches in and around Benaulim

 Churches in and around Canacona
 Churches in and around Chinchinim
 Churches in and around Margao
 Churches in and around Mormugao
o Our Lady of Candelaria Church, Baina, Goa
o St. Cosme and St. Damian Church, Bogmalo, Goa
o St. Thomas Church, Cansaulim, Goa
o St. Francis Xavier Church, Chicalim, Goa
o Our Lady of Exile Church, Desterro, Goa
o St. Francis Xavier Church, Mormugao, Goa
o St. Jacinto Church, St. Jacinto Island, Goa
o St. Andrew the Apostle Church, Vasco Da Gama, Goa
o Our Lady of Assumption Church, Velsao, Goa
 Churches in and around Quepem
 Churches in and around Sanguem
 Churches in and around Verna
 Churches in and around Raiahur

Central Goa Churches

 Churches in and around Panjim
o Our Lady of Immaculate Conception Church, Panjim, Goa
o Our Lady of Bethlehem Church, Bambolim, Goa
o Our Lady of Grace Church, Chorao, Goa
o Our Lady of Merces Church, Merces, Goa
o St. Bartolomew the Apostle Church, Chorao, Goa
o Holy Cross Church, Santa Cruz, Goa
o Our Lady of Help Church, Ribandar, Goa
o St. Michael the Archangel Church, Taleigao, Goa
o St. Agnes, Virgin and Martyr Church, Santa Inez, Goa
o Our Lady of the Rosary Church, Caranzalem, Goa

 Churches in and around Goa Velha

 Churches in and around Old Goa
 Churches in and around Ponda

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The main buildings that are included, are:

 St. Catherine's Chapel

 Church and Convent of Francis of Assisi
 Sé Cathedral
 Basilica of Bom Jesus
 Church of Saint Cajetan including the seminary
 Church of Our Lady of the Rosary
 St. Augustine Tower

The Basilica of Bom Jesus holds the mortal remains of St. Francis Xavier, a missionary across Asia
(India, Japan, China) who died in 1552. He is regarded as the patron saint of Goa. Once every decade on
December 3, the body is taken down for veneration and for public viewing.

Map of Churches and Convents of Goa

Old Goa is now mainly an archaeological site annex open air museum - there are some restaurants,
vendors and people living there in shacks, but it is hard to imagine that this once was a city of 200,000
inhabitants. Their religious structures have survived, a clutter of churches, chapels and convents in
different European architectural styles. I'm not sure if the whole area of the former Portuguese city has
been designated a WHS, or only the named churches and convents - the documentation on the Unesco
website once again is incomplete.

Accessible by local bus from Panaji, the current capital of Goa, about 15 minutes away. The site is pretty
popular with Indian tourists - to them it must be a very exotic place, with its abundance of non-Indian
monuments. But when you're familiar with Southern Europe or Latin America, the churches aren't that
special. Most of them are plain, especially the interiors. Some of the churches have faded wall paintings
or wooden carvings. Their style almost looks naïve. Only the Sé Cathedral and the Basilica (where St.
Francis Xavier is buried) still seem to be used for religious services.

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The town is pleasant enough to spend half a day. I went around on foot, the roads are not too busy and the
grounds are well-kept. Nowhere I had to pay an entrance fee. The Church of St. Francis and the Basilica
hold the best ornaments. Besides the churches not much is left, except for the Viceroy's Arch near the
coast - a crumbling gate that was erected to commemorate the capture of the city by the Portuguese. It
appropriately has a statue of Vasco da Gama on top.

The seven WHS objectives lie within a 10-15min walking distance circle; however a more convenient
and "local" way to explore them is by rented scooters. We started in early afternoon from Calangute and
after a 50min trip we reached Old Goa quarters. The road was pretty tough with alternating clogged
village and faster expressway segments, but in the end manageable even for beginners like us. We didnt
spot any western-style cafes or restos around, so consider bringing some F&B along.

1. Basilica de Bom Jesus, Se Cathedral, Church of St Francis de Assisi, The Chapel of St Catherine

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Park your bikes in front of the shops by the entrance of Basilica de Bom Jesus, then after visiting it cross
the main road to Se Cathedral and Church of St Francis de Assisi. These three churches make out the
main touristic core of the site, so be prepared for the usual dose of noisy tourists, loud guides, and
colonial opulence. Head towards The Chapel of St Catherine for a more tuned-down feeling, an ochre-
colored small jewel nestled in its own small garden where tourist flows recede and the magic of olden
days starts to work its way through. Enjoy a well-deserved hydration break with coconuts and plenty of
water at the small shop just in front of the exit.

2. Church of St Cajetan

A short few minutes ride through the forest will lead straight to the Church of St Cajetan. Despite its
being modeled after Vatican's monumental San Pietro, the virtual absence of tourists will allow for an
improved spiritual experience of the place. As you exit the church's compounds, head down right for a
short glimpse of the Viceroy's Arch.

3. Our Lady of the Rosary, Church and Monastery of St Augustine

Head back the same way and up the small hilly road ending in the small, but exquisite Our Lady of the
Rosary. If you are lucky enough to arrive here jist before sunset, then you are in for a treat. The silent,
breezy halls filled with art and history. The view of the river with its lush forrested banks slowly filling
with mist and mistery. What remains of St Augustine's is not much, but the scenic tower with the sun
setting through its arches does make for a sight to remember.

You can easily take the road leading to Panaji, and through some scenic old villages with goan mansions
and portuguese chapels, just from St. Augustine's. Allow for plenty of unwind & relax time once back to
your accommodation area to make up for the energy well spent. Although made up of 7 different churches
it is relatively easy to cover them all in half a day.

4 of them, namely the Basilica of Bom Jesus, the Se Cathedral, the adjoining Church and Convent of St
Francis of Assisi and the Chapel of St Catherine (hidden behind the Se Cathedral).

From the entrance to the Church and Convent of St Francis you can easily spot the whitewashed Church
of St Cajetan in the distance and although we had a driver with us we decided to walk. Just next to the
Church of St Cajetan it is worth viewing the Viceroy Arch which marks the Portuguese conquest of the
city of Goa.

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The Church of Our Lady of the Rosary and the Tower and ruins of the Church of St Augustine are quite
far away from here so a tuktuk or taxi is needed. The Church of Our Lady of the Rosary looks more like a
fort than a church while what remains of the tower of St Augustine is just half!

The Church of St Augustine was abandoned in 1835 due to the expulsion of the religious orders from
Goa. In 1846 the main vault collapsed. The bell from the tower was initially taken to Fort Aguada and
later in 1871 it was shifted to the Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception in Panaji (which is
very similar to the Church of Bom Jesus do Monte in Tenoes, Portugal).

The UNESCO World Heritage Site of “Churches and Convents of Goa” comprises of seven constituent
sites. They are:

1. Basilica of Bom Jesus

2. Se Cathedral
3. Church of St. Francis of Assisi
4. Chapel of Santa Catarina/Chapel of St. Catherine
5. Ruins of the Church of St. Augustine
6. Church of Divine Providence (São Caetano or Saint Cajetan)
7. Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Rosário/Church of Our Lady of the Rosary

The Basilica of Bom Jesus or the Se Cathedral (these two are directly opposite each other across the
road) — these two are very well known and serve as good reference points. Once you have located the Se
Cathedral, you can find/locate a rough indicative map for all the major sites. This map is in the same
complex as the Se Cathedral.Basilica of Bom Jesus is the only monument that directly finds a mention in
the UNESCO webpage. This church is famous as it contains the tomb of St. Francis Xavier and associated
artifacts including the casket/coffin in which he was brought back to Goa.The Se Cathedral is located
directly across the road (opposite) from the Basilica of Bom Jesus. The church was more ornate than the
Basilica of Bom Jesus in terms of the art work and religious motifs.Church of St. Francis of Assisi,
initially completed in 1521, it was completely rebuilt in the 17th century. The church has many paintings
on the life of St. Francis of Assisi and an altarpiece with a picture of Jesus and Francis Xavier.

The Basilica of Bom Jesus (Portuguese: Basílica do Bom Jesus; Konkani: Borea Jezuchi Bajilika) is
a Roman Catholic basilica located in Goa, India, and is part of the Churches and convents of
Goa UNESCO World Heritage Site.[1][2] The basilica is located in Old Goa, former capital of Portuguese
India, and holds the mortal remains of St. Francis Xavier.
'Bom Jesus' (literally, 'Good (or Holy) Jesus') is the name used for the Ecce Homo in the countries of
Portuguese colonization. The Jesuit church is India's first minor basilica, and is considered to be one of
the best examples of baroque architecture and Portuguese Colonial architecture in India. It is one of
the Seven Wonders of Portuguese Origin in the World. Construction work on the church began in 1594.
The church was consecrated in May 1605 by the archbishop, Dom Fr. Aleixo de Menezes. This world
heritage monument has emerged as a landmark in the history of Christianity. It contains the body of St.
Francis Xavier, a very close friend of St. Ignatius Loyola with whom he founded the Society of Jesus (the
Jesuits). Francis Xavier died on Sancian Island, Chuandao (川島鎮), Taishan while en route to
continental China on (3 December 1552).
The body of Francis Xavier was first taken to Portuguese Malacca and two years later shipped back to
Goa. It is said that the saint's body was as fresh as the day it was buried. [4] The remains of the saint still
attract a huge number of tourists (Christian and non-Christian alike) from all over the world, especially

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during the public viewing of his body every ten years (last held in 2014). The saint is said to have
miraculous powers of healing.
This is one of the oldest churches in Goa and in India. The floor is of marble inlaid with precious stones.
Apart from the elaborate gilded altars, the interior of the church is simple. The main altar holds a large
statue of St. Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits), and one of Francis Xavier's
companions whose words drew him to a reformed life. "What does it profit a man," Ignatius had asked
Francis, "if he gains the whole world and loses his soul?"
The gaze of the gilded statue of Ignatius of Loyola is fixed upwards in awe at the name of Jesus (IHS) on
the gilded emblem of the Jesuits, encircled in radiant rays. Over the emblem, is the Holy Trinity -Father,
Son and Spirit - the ultimate muse and focus of the pious Christian. The altar table which is used in Holy
mass is gilded and adorned with the figures of Christ and his apostles at the Last Supper, along with the
words "Hi Mhoji Kudd", which in Konkani means "This is my Body", from the Institution Narrative.
The church also holds paintings of scenes taken from the life of St. Francis Xavier. The mausoleum, on
the top of which is placed the silver casket with the body of St. Francis Xavier (1696), was the gift of the
last of the Medicis, Cosimo III, the Grand Duke of Tuscany.
The mausoleum was designed by the 17th-century Florentine sculptor Giovanni Battista Foggini. It took
ten years to complete. The casket containing his body is made of silver. The holy relics of the saint are
displayed every ten years during the anniversary of the saint's death. His liturgical feast is 3 December.
On the upper level, overlooking the tomb is the Bom Jesus Basilica Art Gallery, containing the works of
the Goan surrealist painter, Dom Martin. Author and fellow Jesuit Anthony De Mello was also from Goa
and mentions the basilica in his writings.
The Basilica of Bom Jesus is more than 408 years old and is open to the public every day. The body of St.
Francis Xavier is in a well-decorated casket, which can be seen in the photographs below. Solemn
exhibitions of the 'body' are held every ten years. Some photos taken inside the church are attached for
better understanding of the artwork of that time. These artworks are called "murals".
In 2006, on the 500th anniversary of his birth, the Xavier Tomb Monument and Chapel on the
Shangchuan Island, in ruins after years of neglect under communist rule in China, was restored
withsupport from the alumni of Wah Yan College, a Jesuit high school in Hong Kong. From December
2017 to February 2018, Catholic Christian Outreach (CCO) in cooperation with the Jesuits, and the
Archdiocese of Ottawa (Canada) brought Xavier's right forearm to tour throughout Canada. The faithful,
especially university students participating with CCO at Rise Up 2017 in Ottawa, venerated the relics.
The tour continued to every city where CCO and/or the Jesuits are present in Canada: Quebec City, St.
John's, Halifax, St. Francis Xavier University in Antigonish (neither CCO nor the Jesuits are present
here), Kingston, Toronto, Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Regina, Calgary, Vancouver, Victoria, and Montreal
before returning to Ottawa. The relic was then returned to Rome with a Mass of Thanksgiving celebrated
by Archbishop Terrence Prendergast at the Church of the Gesu.

Beatification and canonization

Francis Xavier was beatified by Paul V on 25 October 1619, and was canonized by Gregory XV on 12
March[51] 1622, at the same time as Ignatius Loyola. Pius XI proclaimed him the "Patron of Catholic
Missions". His feast day is 3 December.
Pilgrimage centres
In Goa, Saint Francis Xavier's relics are kept in a silver casket, elevated inside the Bom Jesus Basilica and
are exposed (being brought to ground level) generally every ten years, but this is discretionary. The sacred

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relics went on display starting on 22 November 2014 at the XVII Solemn Exposition. The display closed
on 4 January 2015. The previous exposition, the sixteenth, was held from 21 November 2004 to 2 January
2005.
Relics of Saint Francis Xavier are also found in the Espirito Santo (Holy Spirit) Church, Margão, in Sanv
Fransiku Xavierachi Igorz (Church of St. Francis Xavier), Batpal, Canacona, Goa, and at St. Francis
Xavier Chapel, Portais, Panjim.
Other places
Other pilgrimage centres include Xavier's birthplace in Navarra, Church of Il Gesu, Rome, Malacca
(where he was buried for 2 years, before being brought to Goa), Sancian (place of death), and more.
Xavier is a major venerated saint in both Sonora and the neighbouring U.S. state of Arizona.
In Magdalena de Kino in Sonora, Mexico, in the Church of Santa María Magdalena, there is reclining
statue of San Francisco Xavier brought by pioneer Jesuit missionary Padre Eusebio Kino in the early 18th
century. The statue is said to be miraculous and is the object of pilgrimage for many in the region.
Also Mission San Xavier del Bac is a pilgrimage site. The mission is an active parish church ministering
to the people of the San Xavier District, Tohono O'odham Nation, and nearby Tucson, Arizona.

Novena of grace
The Novena of Grace is a popular devotion to Francis Xavier, typically prayed either on the nine days
before 3 December, or on 4 March through 12 March (the anniversary of Pope Gregory XV's canonisation

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of Xavier in 1622). It began with the Italian Jesuit missionary Marcello Mastrilli. Before he could travel
to the Far East, Mastrilli was gravely injured in a freak accident after a festive celebration dedicated to

the Immaculate Conception in Naples. Delirious and on the verge of death, Mastrilli saw Xavier, who he
later said asked him to choose between travelling or death by holding the respective symbols, to which
Mastrilli answered, "I choose that which God wills." Upon regaining his health, Mastrilli made his way
via Goa and the Philippines to Satsuma, Japan. The Tokugawa shogunate beheaded the missionary in
October 1637, after undergoing three days of tortures involving the volcanic sulphurous fumes from Mt.
Unzen, known as the Hell mouth or "pit" that had supposedly caused an earlier missionary to renounce his
faith.
Legacy:
Francis Xavier is noteworthy for his missionary work, both as organiser and as pioneer, reputed to have
converted more people than anyone else has done since Paul the Apostle. Pope Benedict XVI said of
both Ignatius of Loyola and Francis Xavier: "not only their history which was interwoven for many years
from Paris and Rome, but a unique desire – a unique passion, it could be said – moved and sustained them
through different human events: the passion to give to God-Trinity a glory always greater and to work for
the proclamation of the Gospel of Christ to the peoples who had been ignored." By consulting with the
earlier ancient Christians of St. Thomas in India, Xavier developed Jesuit missionary methods. His
success also spurred many Europeans to join the order, as well as become missionaries throughout the
world. His personal efforts most affected Christians in India and the East
Indies (Indonesia, Malaysia, Timor). India still has numerous Jesuit missions, and many more schools.
Xavier also worked to propagate Christianity in China and Japan. However, following the persecutions
of Toyotomi Hideyoshi and the subsequent closing of Japan to foreigners, the Christians of Japan were
forced to go underground to develop an independent Christian culture. Likewise, while Xavier inspired

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many missionaries to China, Chinese Christians also were forced underground and developed their own
Christian culture.
A small chapel designed by Achille-Antoine Hermitte was completed in 1869 over Xavier's death place
on Shangchuan Island, Canton. It was damaged and restored several times, with the most recent
restoration in 2006 to celebrate the 500th anniversary of his birth. [57] Francis Xavier is the patron saint of
his native Navarre, which celebrates his feast day on 3 December as a government holiday. In addition to
Roman Catholic Masses remembering Xavier on that day (now known as the Day of Navarra),
celebrations in the surrounding weeks honour the region's cultural heritage. Furthermore, in the 1940s,
devoted Catholics instituted the Javierada, an annual day-long pilgrimage (often on foot) from the capital
at Pamplona to Xavier, where the Jesuits have built a basilica and museum and restored his family's
castle.
Namesake
As the foremost saint from Navarre and one of the main Jesuit saints, he is much venerated in Spain and
the Hispanic countries where Francisco Javier or Javier are common male given names. [58] The
alternative spelling Xavier is also popular in the Basque
Country, Portugal, Catalonia, Brazil, France, Belgium, and southern Italy. In India, the spelling Xavier is
almost always used, and the name is quite common among Christians, especially in Goa and the southern
states of Tamil Nadu, Kerala, and Karnataka. The names Francisco Xavier, António Xavier, João
Xavier, Caetano Xavier, Domingos Xavier et cetera, were very common till quite recently in
Goa. Fransiskus Xaverius is commonly used as a name for Indonesian Catholics, usually abbreviated as
FX. In Austria and Bavaria the name is spelled as Xaver (pronounced (ˈk͡saːfɐ)) and often used in addition
to Francis as Franz-Xaver (frant͡sˈk͡saːfɐ). Many Catalan men are named for him, often using the two-
name combination Francesc Xavier. In English speaking countries, "Xavier" until recently was likely to
follow "Francis"; in the 2000s, however, "Xavier" by itself has become more popular than "Francis", and
since 2001 is now one of the hundred most common male baby names in the U.S.A. [59] Furthermore, the
Sevier family name, possibly most famous in the United States for John Sevier, originated from the name
Xavier.
Many churches all over the world, often founded by Jesuits, have been named in honour of Xavier. The
many in the United States include the historic St. Francis Xavier Shrine at Warwick, Maryland (founded
1720), and the Basilica of St. Francis Xavier in Dyersville, Iowa. There are also the American educational
teaching order Xaverian Brothers, and the Mission San Xavier del Bac in Tucson, Arizona (founded in
1692, and known for its Spanish Colonial architecture).
In art
Rubens painted St Francis Xavier Raising the Dead for a Jesuit church in Antwerp, in which he depicted
one of St Francis's many miracles. [60] The Charles Bridge in Prague, Czech Republic, features a statue of
Francis Xavier. In front of Oita Station of Oita City, in Oita Prefecture, previously known as Bungo
Province in Japan, there is one statue of Francis Xavier. The monument Padrão dos
Descobrimentos in Belém (Lisbon), Portugal, features a Francis Xavier image.
Music

 Marc-Antoine Charpentier, In honorem Sancti Xaverij canticum H.355, for soloists, chorus, flutes,
strings and continuo (1688 ?)
 Marc-Antoine Charpentier, Canticum de Sto Xavierio H.355 a, for soloists, chorus, flutes, oboes,
strings and continuo (1690).

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Missionary
Shortly before leaving for the East, Xavier issued a famous instruction to Father Gaspar Barazeuz who
was leaving to go to Ormuz (a kingdom on an island in the Persian Gulf, formerly attached to the Empire
of Persia, now part of Iran), that he should mix with sinners:
And if you wish to bring forth much fruit, both for yourselves and for your neighbours, and to live
consoled, converse with sinners, making them unburden themselves to you. These are the living books by
which you are to study, both for your preaching and for your own consolation. I do not say that you
should not on occasion read written books... to support what you say against vices with authorities from
the Holy Scriptures and examples from the lives of the saints.

— Kadič 1961, pp. 12–18

Modern scholars place the number of people converted to Christianity by Francis Xavier at around
30,000. And while some of Xavier's methods have been since criticised (he forced converts to
take Portuguese names and dress in Western clothes, approved the persecution of the Eastern Church, and
used the Goa government as a missionary tool), he has also earned praise. He insisted that missionaries
adapt to many of the customs, and most certainly the language, of the culture they wish to evangelise.
And unlike later missionaries, Xavier supported an educated native clergy. Though for a time it seemed
his work in Japan was subsequently destroyed by persecution, Protestant missionaries three centuries later
discovered that approximately 100,000 Christians still practised in the Nagasaki area.
Francis Xavier's work initiated permanent change in eastern Indonesia, and he was known as the "Apostle
of the Indies" where in 1546–1547 he worked in the Maluku Islands among the people
of Ambon, Ternate, and Morotai (or Moro), and laid the foundations for a permanent mission. After he
left the Maluku Islands, others carried on his work and by the 1560s, there were 10,000 Roman Catholics
in the area, mostly on Ambon. By the 1590s, there were 50,000 to 60,000.
Role in the Goa Inquisition
The role of Francis Xavier in the Goa Inquisition is significant. He had written to King João III of
Portugal in 1546, encouraging him to dispatch the Inquisition to Goa. This he did, after seeing mass
immigration of Crypto-Jews and Crypto-Muslims from the Iberian peninsula, and the Inquisition had
jurisdiction only over Christians and this would help veer them back to the Faith. Francis Xavier died in
1552 without living to see the commencement of the Goa Inquisition, but his Iberian background meant
that he was aware of the Portuguese Inquisition's activities. In an interview to an Indian newspaper,
historian Teotónio de Souza stated that Francis Xavier and Simão Rodrigues, another founder-member of
the Society of Jesus, were together in Lisbon before Francis left for India. Both were asked to assist
spiritually the prisoners of the Inquisition and were present at the very first auto-da-fé celebrated in
Portugal in September 1540, at which 23 were absolved and two were condemned to be burnt, including a
French cleric. Hence, he believes that Xavier was aware of the brutal punishment that could be meted out
by the Inquisition against relapsed heretics.

Ruins of the Church of St. Augustine - founded in the late sixteenth century, the only thing noteworthy
that remains of the church and monastery of St. Augustine is the tower that stands tall amidst the ruins.
The 46 meter high tower served as the belfry and the facade of the church. The ruins are a sight that is not
to be missed and was probably the best of what we saw among the seven monuments.

Church of Divine Providence (São Caetano or Saint Cajetan) - Built by Italian friars of the Order of the
Theatines in the 17th century, the facade of Church of Divine Providence is based on the design of the St.

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Peter’s Basilica at Rome. The church is dedicated to both Our Lady of Divine Providence and St. Catejan
as is evidenced by the altars and the paintings in the church.

Igreja de Nossa Senhora do Rosário/Church of Our Lady of the Rosary - built in the 16th century, Church
of Our Lady of the Rosary is one of the oldest churches in Old Goa. Built at a vantage point, one can have
excellent views of the Mandovi River.

Since we had a flight to catch, we did manage to see all the monuments in roughly 2.5 hours. We also
wanted to visit the museum in the Se Cathedral complex but we ran out of time. We definitely intend to
check out the museum in our next visit to Goa.

In summary, we managed to see some great monuments and the heritage churches gave us a great
snapshot of the history. We would urge everyone visiting Goa to drop in at Old Goa and see these
heritage churches. Definitely a great addition to the UNESCO World Heritage List from India’s
perspective.

Additional notes for guidance:

1. Try to locate the Basilica of Bom Jesus. It is by far the easiest church to locate in Old Goa.

2. Se Cathedral is located right opposite (across the street) from the Basilica of Bom Jesus.

3. Se Cathedral, Church of St. Francis of Assisi and the Chapel of St. Catherine are all on the same
grounds/complex.

4. The museum is also in the same complex.

5. You have to locate others from the map/local guidance.

6. The airport (Dabolim) is roughly an hour away from Old Goa.

7. North Goa and South Goa would also roughly be an hour/an hour and fifteen minutes from Old Goa.

Old Goa was founded by the Bijapur sultanate – a Shia Muslim dynasty that ruled a swathe of India from
coast to coast in the southern central region. However, it is for its Portuguese prominence that the town is
remembered, as it was made the colony’s most important city upon its capture from the sultanate in
1510.The first building we visited was the 408 year old Basilica of Bom Jesus (Basilica of Holy Jesus) – a
large baroque structure built from granite and basalt. Uniquely in Old Goa, it is unplastered – which sets it
apart from all of the other churches, which are white. It was originally plastered, but was stripped of it by
“a zealous Portuguese conservationist” in 1950.

We also look round the Church of St Francis of Assisi, Sé Cathedral, the Church of St Catejan, the Our
Lady of the Rosary church, the Arch of the Viceroys and the ruins of the Church of St Augustine. All are
within walking distance. The latter is the most striking, with an enormous fragment of a tower still
standing in what is otherwise an abandoned ruin. The inscribed churches are groupped on a small area in
Goa Velha (Old Goa), small place near Panaji, Goa's capital. It is very easy to get there by bus from
Panaji bus station, and the ticket is about 10 rupees. All churches, except Bom Jesus basillica, are painted
white and present themselves wonderfully in Indian sun. The ones I liked most were Se Cathedral, Church

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of St. Francis, Church of St. Cayetan and Bom Jesus. The latter is the place were Francisco Xavier is
buried. His coffin is importan pilgrimage place for Indian (and other) catholics.

St. Augustine church and its convent were the first places I visited in Old Goa, the complex was once the
biggest church in Goa, but now in ruinous state after Portuguese expelled the order. I walked around the
complex and saw some nice ceramic tiles decoration and interesting partially collapsed high tower. After
that I walked to see Convent of St. Monica, the convent interior was closing for restoration, but the big
buttress and Portuguese State Seal wall motif were the highlights of its exterior. Our Lady of the Rosary
Church was my next destination. The church was built on the hill behind St. Monica Convent so it was a
short walk. The church’s façade was very interesting with fortress liked design. The interior was plain but
I really like its pastel colored wooden altar and cute figurines. Also the warm light inside this church was
the best for photography. My taxi took me to the next place, the Basilica of Bom Jesus. The Basilica is
very unique with its laterite exterior contrast of other white plaster covered churches in the town. Inside I
saw golden main altar, the motif was clearly the celebration of Jesuit Order. On the right side of altar was
the golden tomb of St. Francis Xavier. The Basilica was full with local tourists and I had to queue in order
to have a chance for closer look on the tomb and I only had ten seconds to admire it! I gave up the horde
of people and decided to move on to other church in the opposite side of the road, the large complex of Se
Cathedral and Church of St. Francis of Assisi.

When I entered into the Church of St. Francis of Assisi, my mouth opened with wow, the interior of this
church in my opinion was the most breathtaking sight in Old Goa. Actually the reason I came to Old Goa
was to see this church but I mistook it with the Basilica of Bom Jesus, and that why when I entered the
Basilica I was quite confused. The interior was very rich in details from beautiful wooden gilded altars,
naïvely sculptures to colorful paintings and tiles decoration. Then I went to Se Cathedral, unfortunately
the exterior was under restoration so I could not see the whole façade, the interior was quite similar with
the Basilica of Bom Jesus, but the quality of arts were more superior in my idea. There were also many
interesting painting of using Hinduism symbol in the cathedral painting around many altars. After
cathedral I walked to Church of St. Cajetan passed the Viceroy’s Arch. The Church of St. Cajetan was
modeled after St. Peter in Vatican, so its design was quite unique for Goa. Inside the church was again
with beautiful altars and inspiring white classic decoration motifs. Then my taxi took me to Church of
Our Lady of the Mount, not part of World Heritage Site, but also a very nice white church on the hill.
From the church I could see the whole of Old Goa with dense green jungle and dreamy white churches,
the same view in Paul Tanner’s review. I also had a chance to see Bollywood film crew as they used the
church as love scene filming location while I was there.

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In Goa Velha there are no significant remains of any habitation from the early days of the old city
although there were signs that richer Goans were currently building plush villas among the trees. The
capital was officially moved to Panjim in 1843 but the churches had begun to suffer earlier in 1835 when
Portugal initiated a series of actions against the religious orders. The ruined church of St Augustine dates
from these activities

Goa’s capture by the Alphonso de Albuquerque from its Muslim ruler took place as early as 1510 –
Cortes didn’t overcome the Aztecs until 1520 and Pizarro the Incas in 1532. But, as far as we could make
out, the current churches in Goa date mainly from the Seventeenth century having taken a long time to
establish or having replaced earlier structures. The tomb of St Francis Xavier in Bom Jesus was even
sculpted in Italy by Foggini and shipped out to Goa in 1698.The main exception is the fortress-like
Church of Our Lady of the Rosary which was completed in 1549 on the spot where Albuquerque
masterminded his second and successful attempt to capture Goa. Situated a bit away from the centre it
should be visited if possible! We also enjoyed the views from the (possibly not inscribed) Church of Our
Lady of the Mount a couple of kms east of the main site (photo). Yes the ornamentation isn’t as opulent
as in Latin American churches from a similar period and much of painted interior decoration has been lost
- St Francis is possibly the best

As Els indicates in her review, it is not entirely clear what parts of Goa Velha have been inscribed. Our
guide insisted that it was only the Se Cathedral, the Basilica of Bom Jesus and the Church of St Francis –
but he is certainly incorrect. Some large maps displayed on locations around the site show buildings with
a red dot = “World Heritage Monument” and a white one = “Other Heritage sites”. This seems to show
that the Chapel of St Catherine (reconstructed in 1952 on the remains of the very first church from 1510),
the Church of St Cajetan, The Church of Our Lady of the Rosary and the ruins of the Church of St
Augustine are also inscribed – making 7 buildings in all. The map on the UNESCO Web site shows a
much larger conservation zone covering all the central site plus a few other churches and some old city
walls but whether this whole zone was inscribed isn’t clear. The 2003 “Periodic Reporting” summary
report boldly states - “Status of Site Boundaries • The demarcation line and buffer zone are adequate.”!!!

But all is not well in paradise! Something which surprised me was the very high profile taken by the
Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) at the site which includes active churches. An enormous sign
spelling out the full name of the organization occupies a central location in front of the cathedral/St
Francis churches – UNESCO logos are much less in evidence!! And ASI is obviously proud of what it
has achieved in terms of conservation. An exhibition in St Francis church shows a whole series of
“before” and “after” photos which seem to show that the ASI has been doing a good job! But the 2003
reporting notes “A Court case is pending before the District Court filed by the Archaeological Survey of
India with respect to the ownership of the churches and convents, which have been declared as Centrally
Protected Monuments of National Importance through the Gazette notification. As per the notification the
churches and convents are declared as Centrally Protected Monuments of National importance and
Archaeological Survey of India is the sole custodian. However, the ownership of these monuments were
changed in favour of church authorities by Department of Survey and Land Records without honouring
the notification and the same is being challenged by the Archaeological Survey of India by filing a writ

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petition in the District court” The dispute rumbles on and boiled over again in Feb 2011 a month
before our visit . In the light of such issues it is perhaps worth pointing out that ICOMOS recommended
“deferral” for Goa until management issues had been sorted out!

Locations

Churches and Convents of Goa: Se Cathedral

Churches and Convents of Goa: Our Lady of The Rosary
Churches and Convents of Goa: St. Augustine
Churches and Convents of Goa: Basilica of Bom Jesus
Churches and Convents of Goa: The Chapel of St. Catherine
Churches and Convents of Goa: Church Of St. Francis Of Assisi
Churches and Convents of Goa: Church of St. Cajetan

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 ‘Nossa Senhora do Carmo Igreja em Arambol, Goa’

Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, Arambol, (See below for detailed description_) Goa is
called ‘Nossa Senhora do Carmo Igreja em Arambol, Goa’ in Portuguese. Our Lady of Mount
Carmel Church, Arambol, Goa is popularly called ‘The Arambol Church’ locally in Goa. The
Arambol Church was initially a primitive church built in 1780 and dedicated to St John the Baptist.
This was the first church in the Pernem Taluka, at the time this area was annexed to the then
Portuguese territory of Goa. The church was re constructed in 1841 as the Our Lady of Mount
Carmel Church Arambol, with Our Lady of Mount Carmel as the patron of the church. A part of the
frontispiece was reconstructed and the church was repaired in 1878. In the year 2000, the church
building of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, Arambol, Goa was enlarged and a new parochial
house was built.
The Religious Order based in the Parish of Our Lady of Mount Carmel , Arambol, Goa is The
Canossian Daughters of Charity (FDCC). The Canossian Daughters of Charity are based in Arambol
at Stella Maris, Modhlo Vaddo, Arambol, Goa.
The Educational Institution based in the parish of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, Arambol, Goa
is Our Lady of Mount Carmel High School, Arambol, Goa.
The Number of Catholics in the parish of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, Arambol, Goa is 1985.
The Feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, Arambol, Goa is celebrated on 9th January every
year.

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 Our Lady of Immaculate Conception Church, Moira, Goa

Our Lady of Immaculate Conception Church, Moira, Goa is called ‘Nossa Senhora da Imaculada
Conceicao Igreja em Moira, Goa’ in Portuguese. The Our Lady of Immaculate Conception Church,
Moira, Goa is popularly called ‘The Moira Church’ locally in Goa. The Moira church was built in 1636,
having been rebuilt in various places. The front of the Moira Church was rebuilt in 1800, the chancel in
1814 and the body of the church in 1832. The belfry of the Moira Church was built in 1838 to
accommodate the bell of the Madre de Deus convent of Old Goa and the parochial house of the Moira
Church was built in 1841.

Chapels (without Chaplains) in the Parish of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception Church, Moira,
Goa
Our Lady of the Sacred Heart of Jesus chapel, Sataporio, Moira, Goa
St. Sebastian Chapel, Povacao, Moira, Goa
Our Lady of Lourdes Chapel, Calizor, Moira, Goa
Holy Cross Chapel, Pirazona, Moira, Goa

Religious Orders based in the Parish of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception Church, Moira, Goa
Order of Preachers (OP) based at Dominican Training Centre, Pirazona, Moira, Goa.
Missionary Sisters of the Queen of Apostles (SRA), based at Immaculate Conception Convent, Novo
Portugal, Moira, Goa.
Handmaids of Christ (HC) based at Holy Spirit Home, Alto Pirazona, Moira, Goa.
Society of Jesus, Mary and Joseph (JMJ) based at Jesus Mary and Joseph Convent, Pirazona, Moira, Goa.
Franciscan Missionaries of Christ the King (FMCK) based at Asha Kiran, Atafondem, Moira, Goa.

St. Sebastian Church, Calvim, Goa is called ‘Sao Sebastiao Igreja em

Calvim, Goa’ in Portuguese. St. Sebastian Church, Calvim, Goa is popularly called ‘The Calvim
Church’ locally in Goa. The Calvim Church was originally a chapel built by the islanders of
Calvim on 2.12.1864. The Calvim Chapel was rebuilt in 1934 and blessed on 24.1.1935. The
Calvim chapel was affiliated to the Parish of Aldona. The Calvim church originated when the

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Calvim chapel was was delinked and elevated to the Calvim parish church in 1980.The Number
of Catholics in the Parish of St. Sebastian Church, Calvim, Goa is 440.The Feast of St. Sebastian
Church at Calvim, Goa is celebrated on 15th May every year.The Address of the Calvim Church
is St. Sebastian Church at Calvim, Carona, Goa 403 523.

The Mother of God Church, Pomburpa,

is called ‘Mae de Deus Igreja em Pomburpa, Goa’ in Portuguese. The Mother of God Church,
Pomburpa, Goa is popularly called ‘The Pomburpa Church’ locally in Goa. The Pomburpa
Church was founded in 1590 by two Franciscan Tertiaries, Luisa da Madre de Deus and Ana de
Santa Maria – a daughter and a mother. The Pomburpa Church was donated by them to the
Franciscans on 11th June 1604. The verandah and the two front rooms of the Pomburpa Church
facing the river were added later.

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