Goa Information Blog

This church is located inside the fort. It was first built in 1555. and was run by the Franciscans and was dedicated to St. Jerome. It soon became a center of learning for priests and was also a stop over for many of the early viceroys. There is evidence that this church like many others was built at the site of a Hindu temple by the Portuguese. The outside facade carries the royal Portuguese coat of arms. The small shrine near the foot of the stairs is dedicated to Our Lady of Hope. It is said to be the site of Alfonso de Albuquerque’s landing in 1510. The inside of the church was renovated in 1771 and the towers were added in 1764.Inside the church to the right of the altar is the grave of Viceroy Dom Luis da Alameida. the main festival celebration here is the Feast of Reis Magos or the Feast of the three Kings held on January 6th annually.

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On the way from Panaji to Old Goa, one sees a dome across the parish church of St. Peter. It is very old, and appears to have been erected about the year 1542 or 1543 at the expense of the public treasury by the Portuguese architects, as is learnt from an official document. Many believe it to have been erected on the orders of the Archbishop Dom Fr. Alexio de Menezes, but this is erroneous as the Archbishop commenced to govern the diocese only in 1595. The church now wears an antique appearance and has nothing remarkable about it. It is small in size and on one of its altars is seen an image of St. Peter, the Prince of the Apostles, to whom it is dedicated. On the floor are seen a few inscriptions almost effaced; that at the entrance bears the name of Joao Rodriguez Machado. In the background of the main altar can still be seen, the old wooden frame grafted with thin marine shells, through which a bluish light.

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The Church and the Convent of St. Monica is situated contiguous to the Chapel of St. Anthony and facing north on Monte Santo. The Convent was sanctioned in 1598 and its foundation was laid by the Archbishop Dom Frei Alexio de Menezes who was also the then Governor of Portuguese India on July 2nd 1606. Its work was completed in 1627. The rules of the monastery compiled by the Archbishop, were modeled on those of St. Augustine, and was approved by Pope Paul V, vide his Papal brief dated 27th November, 1613 and received the sanction of the king of Portugal who, by royal decree dated the 26th March 1636, accepted its patronage. The convent was subsequently called the Royal Monastery of Santa Monica. It was the first nunnery of the East.

The convent was large enough to accommodate some hundred nuns, known as daughters of St. Monica, as well as the widows willing to devote themselves to the service of Goa. The nunnery was also used to give shelter to ladies during the absence of their husbands, when on service in other parts of the Empire. This convent was open to all nuns, European, Eurasian and also to those of local extraction.

The vast three-storied building, which was circled at the back and sides by a huge enclosure, was provided with everything necessary for the comforts and convenience of the inmates. The gardens of the convent covered a vast area and were full of aromatic plants and beautiful flowers, with which the nuns used to adorn the altars. In the adjoining orchards grew some of the best fruits of India, and the kitchen garden produced all kinds of vegetables which were used for their daily requirements. Twelve walls provided the best water for the irrigation of their cultivated plot and a water tank embellished that haven of peace.

The church was attached to the convent to the south. Its external architecture is a combination of the Tuscan, Corinthian and composite style, Its interior belongs to the Doric and composite style. Its greatest length is 175 feet and breadth 36 feet. The fa ade of the church presents on the top a statue of Santa Monica and the symbol of the Holy Ghost. Three solid buttresses support the fa ade and through their arches runs the road that lead to the priority of the Rosary. The nave is divided into two parts. The first makes up the principal part of the church with two side altars, the one on the right dedicated to Divine Jesus and the one on the left to Virgins Africanas. The main altar contains the image of Santa Monica, mother of St. Augustine, to whom the convent and the church is dedicated.

In the tribune, which surmounts to the altar, rises the famous Miraculous Cross , 108 high. On February 8th 1636, this image opened its eyes and was seen moving, while from its wounds, blood appeared to flow. This miracle occurred again on the 12th of that month in the presence of the viceroy and other officials. On August 24, 1636, a statement was written at the Archbishop s palace mentioning these events and after investigations was concluded as miraculous. The image has since been held in great veneration.

It closed as a nunnery after its last sister died in 1885. It was reinstated to church status in 1968. It currently houses the Theological Center of the Matar Dei institute. This is a center of higher education for nuns and draws a varied international group. It was inaugurated on June 5th 1964.

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The Convent now completely in ruins was constructed by 12 Augustinian friars in 1572 immediately after their arrival at Goa on September 3rd 1572. This church, now in ruins also was constructed in 1602. It was reportedly in good shape until it was abandoned in 1835 following the banning of religious orders by the Portuguese government. The church fell into neglect and its vault collapsed in 1842. The facade collapsed on August 8th and 19th, 1931. All that is left today is a bell tower without the bell. The bell was moved to the Fort Aguada Light House initially (1841-1871) and in 1871 was moved to the Church of Our lady of Immaculate Conception at Panaji where it remains functioning to this day.

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The Basilica of Bom Jesus is famous throughout the Roman Catholic world since it contains the tomb and mortal remains of St.Francis Xavier who, in 1541, was given the task of spreading Christianity among the subjects of the Portuguese colonies in the east. A former pupil of St. Ignatius Loyola, the founder of the Jesuit Order, St. Francis Xavier made missionary voyages in the east that became a legend.

Apart from the richly gilded altars, the interior of the church is remarkable for its simplicity, and this is the only church which is not plastered on the outside. It was commenced in 1594 and completed in 1605. The centre of interest inside the church is, of course, the tomb of St. Francis, the construction of which was underwritten by the Duke of Tuscany and executed by Florentine sculptor Giovanni Batista Foggini. It took 10 years to build and was completed in 1698. The remains of the body are housed in a silver casket which at one time was covered in jewels. On the walls surrounding it are murals depicting scenes from the saint’s journeys, including on his death on the Sancian Island.

Next door to the Basilica is a two-storeyed laterite building covered with lime plaster which was completed in 1585 despite much opposition to the Jesuits. Part of the building burned down in 1663 but was rebuilt in 1783. There’s a modern art gallery attached to the Basilica.

Timings : Sunday 10:00 to 18:30 hours. Weekdays : 09:00 to 18:30 hours.

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