Goa is one of the very prominent tourist places in India. It is well-known for its majestic beaches, eye-catching waterfalls, and fantastic architecture.
But a trip to Goa is incomplete without visiting the attractive churches.
These churches were established in the 16th century by the Portuguese. The churches here are mostly built of laterite stones.
So, in this article, we will discuss your trip if you are Planning a trip to Goa.
Which church is famous in Goa?
- Basilica Of Bom Jesus
The Basilica of Bom Jesus, built-in 1605, is located in Old Goa.
The relics of St. Francis Xavier are kept here, which is very popular among tourists.
Like the rest of the churches in Old Goa, this Church is also included in the list of UNESCO World Heritage.
Its exterior is made of black granite, famous for Baroque architecture, and can be seen in Doric, Corinthian and mixed influences.
Within it is an altar, 30 feet wide and 54 feet high, whose pillars, 300 km from here, are made from basalt (brown rock) from the city of Vasai.
There is a childhood statue of Jesus Christ plated with gold. Above it is ‘St. Ignatius Loyola, the founder of the Catholic Society, called the ‘Jesuit Order.’
You will see an ancient medallion depicting the Holy Trinity. At the southern end of the Basilica is the prayer hall, In which the relics of St. Francis Xavier are preserved.
- Church Of St. Francis Of Assisi
Built-in 1665, this Church still maintains its ancient Portuguese-Manueline style.
The work done on the exterior of this Church is called ‘St. Francis of Assisi’ and is very simple.
On the other hand, the Baroque architecture of its interiors is extraordinarily grand and quirky. It looks beautiful due to its Corinthian influence.
There is a giant statue of St. Francis of Assisi with Jesus Christ above the inner prayer place of this Church.
It has wooden paintings on both sides, depicting this saint’s life and times as the patron of humanity.
- Our Lady Of The Immaculate Conception Church
Located in the state capital Panaji, this great Church was built as a chapel in 1541.
It was given its present form by reconstruction in the year 1619.
Its white façade reflects the styles of Portuguese-Baroque and Govan architecture.
It has two minarets and a tall bell tower. It can also be seen from a distance. Therefore it is also named the ‘crown’ of Panaji.
It houses an ancient bell retrieved from the Augustinian ruins of the ‘Church of Our Lady of Grace. It is believed to be the second-largest bell tower in Goa, and the first pedestal is still occupied by the ‘Golden Bell,’ located in the ‘Sea Cathedral.’
- St. Cajetan Church
One of the most beautiful churches in Goa, this Church is located near the Sea Cathedral in Old Goa.
Its texture is very beautiful. It was built in 1665 by the Italian saints of the Theatines Order after the founding of the Theatines Order.
The founder of the Order of Theatines, St. Francis, was also a contemporary of Xavier. St. Cajetan’s Church is a fine example of Corinthian architecture.
On the exterior are four magnificent sculptures of St. Paul, St. Peter, St. John, and St. Matthew, while the interior has gilded artifacts depicting Corinthian, Baroque, Rococo and Goan.
The Church’s main altar is dedicated to the ‘Lady of Divine Providence.’
Which Church in Goa is known as the Biggest Church?
Se Cathedral is among the biggest churches in Asia devoted to St. Catherine. This Church took nearly 80 years to assemble and was created to memorialize the success of the Portuguese over the Muslim majesties.
The Portuguese constructed the cathedral church in a lovely and structural way.
Se Cathedral Church amplifies the glorious white beauty. Also known as Se Cathedral Church (Se Catedral de Santa Catarina).
The cathedral church is a necessary center of the Latin Rite Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Goa and Daman.
This Church also stays the focal point of the Patriarch of the East Indies. The name of the cathedral church is also composed of the largest churches in mainland Asia. The UNESCO World Heritage Sites list has considered Se Cathedral in their list.
There are five bells in this renowned Church, the most prominent of which is the golden bell. It is said that this bell is heard all over the state.
It has 14 altars, each beautifully carved, and the central altar is plated with gold, which chronicles the dynamism of Saint Catherine of the Red Rose and Alexandria.
Here are some Interesting Facts about St. Cathedral Church Goa:
- The St. Cathedral of Goa is the largest Church in India.
- This historical monument is dedicated to Catherine of Alexandria, on whose feast day Alfonso Albuquerque took possession of Goa by defeating a Muslim army in 1510.
- This Church is also called St. Catharine’s Cathedral and is more significant than any church built during Portuguese rule.
- Built-in the 16th century, this grand Church took about 57 years.
- The length of this attractive building is 250 feet, the width is 181 feet, and the height is 115 feet.
- This grand monument was built in Portuguese-Gothic style with a Tuscan exterior and Corinthian interiors.
- The interior of this Church is adorned with artistic saint five bells.
- This huge Church was established by the Portuguese viceroy, Redondo, in such a way as to have wealth, power, and fame and could occupy the sea from the Atlantic to the Pacific Ocean.
Which is the Most Beautiful Church in Goa?
Here are some of the beautiful churches in GOA.
- Mãe de Deus (Mother of God)
This Church is among the most beautiful church buildings in North Goa. It has a lovely gothic structure and adorned interiors.
Its majestic shape, with more than one spire, gilded altars, and adorned interiors, reminds the United States of an American medieval castle, and its white floor overwhelms in daylight. In the evenings, though, the Church is embellished with lighting, making it an incredible sight to behold
Housing the fantastic sculpture of Mae de Deus (Mother of God), conveyed from the destruction of the convent of Mae de Deus in Old Goa, this Church in Goa stands as one of the sound samples of the neo-gothic kind structure.
- Santa Cruz
A vicinity that commenced as a miniature vicinity of worship, the Holy Cross church within the metropolis of Santa Cruz now is the enormous parish in Goa.
The Church turned into built-in 1957 within the Neo-Roman structure fashion with incredible blends of Indian and European civilizations.
The banquet of the Church is taken out each yr within the primary week of May and is a good enough time to go.
Also named Holy Cross Church, this is a lovely instance of Neo-Roman architectural fashion. It was constructed with the King of Portugal’s inspiration to facilitate humans acquiring Christianity.
- St. John the Baptist
The Church of St. John the Baptist was initially constructed close to the shore and shifted to its gift region on the pinnacle of a hill called Monte Benaulim in 1956.
This great Church in Goa is widely known for its yearly banquet, ‘Sao Joao.’ Honored on June 24th, Sao Joao is one birthday party as pleasant and advanced because of the Carnival.
- Church Of Our Lady of Miracles
Church Of Our Lady of Miracles is a sixteenth-century Church in Goa constructed with the aid of the Portuguese.
The Church turned into, to start with, devoted to St. Jerome. Since the Portuguese conquered numerous Hindu monuments to facilitate Christianity, it’s miles generic that the Church turned into a remodeled temple.
The shape turned ruined in a hearth place approximately mid-1900. After the renovation, it was renamed the Church of Our Lady of Miracles.
- St. Andrew’s
The Church of St. Andrew’s was willingly set up and integrated in 1570 and inaugurated with affected carnivals. The Neo-Gothic kind is the maximum extensive part of the plan factors withinside the Church.
More than one modern change in 2010 with the lengthy sizable blessing galleries. The Church has chaste white all around, the caves are fantastically preserved in gold tinge, and there’s a sculpture of the Lady of Fathima engraved in marble.
Why is Bom Jesus Basilica famous?
The basilica of Bom Jesus, one of the most revered religious structures in Old Goa, is famous worldwide.
This is 400 years old. Its iconic red look attracts many people, but it is being told that this Church may lose its red look to preserve this structure.
A priest of the Basilica said that if one looks closely at its stone, it will be known how bad it has become due to the weather.
Its quality has also deteriorated in many places. In many places, the stones have broken into powder on their own.
He further explained that due to the rapid urbanization of Old Goa and unseasonal rains throughout the year, the walls of the Basilica remain wet.
The laterite stone becomes so saturated that water starts dripping from the inner walls. This never happened in the past.
Box Jesus represents baby Jesus or god Jesus. This Church boards the religious relics of St. Francis Xavier, the patron saint of Goa.
He died in 1552. His body is kept in an airtight covering made of glass set in a silver coffin in the 17th century by Giovanni Battista Fogini, a Florentine craftsman.
It is said that the saint’s body was as fresh when brought to Goa as it was while keeping it in the shroud.
This miraculous happening drew people so much that many people from all over the country came to this Church to see him. It is said that the saint had the god power to heal wounds, so people from all over the globe reached here and prayed.
According to the information, people are brought down once to show the silver casket. It was last shown in the year 2004.
