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General Information About Goa : Churches
One of the major tourist attractions in Goa are Churches. Goan churches are famous for their interesting architecture usually a blend of two or more forms. These institutions of religion played a major role in inclining people initially towards Christianity. And today with a significant Christian population, the churches are important in Goa's religious, cultural and social fabric.

Most of the churches during the Portuguese rule were built in Old Goa and today Old Goa along with its churches is a world heritage site. Though over a period of time a significant change has come over in the architecture of the churches but the churches built during the Portuguese rule were different. Though each of them had some uniqueness to it yet certain commonness marked them all. Be it the baroque style architecture or the ornated altars.

Though not all of them but most of them have stood fairly well over a period of time, withering a little bit in between, undergoing some repair every now and then.
   
Se Cathedral Church  
The Portuguese Viceroy Redondo commissioned the Se, or St. Catherine's' Cathedral, southwest of St. Cajetan's, to be "a grandiose church worthy of the wealth, power and fame of the Portuguese who dominated the seas from the Atlantic to the Pacific". Today it stands larger than any church in Portugal, although it was beset by problems, not least a lack of funds and Portugal's temporary loss of independence to Spain. It took eighty years to build and was not consecrated until 1640.

 
Basilica of Bom Jesus
Nine kilometers from Panaji, standing witness to a milestone event in the history of Christianity, is the world famous church of Goa, Basilica of Bom Jesus

The church is called "Bom Jesus" meaning 'good Jesus' or 'infant Jesus' to whom it is dedicated. The facade has on it, at the top, the letters, "HIS" which are the first three letters of Jesus in Greek. The two columns supporting the choir bear slabs inscribed in Portuguese and Latin recording that the construction of this Church of Jesus was commenced on 24 November 1594 and Fr. Alexia de Menezes, the Archbishop of Goa and Primate of India consecrated it on 15 May 1605, when it was completed.

 
Our Lady of Rosary
Old Goa, 8 kilometres from Panaji is the spiritual back bone of the state. The area is dotted with architectural masterpieces in the form of churches and convents of the golden age. Old Goa has actually been declared as a world heritage site by UNESCO. These churches were built here after fifteenth century when it had become Portuguese Colony. Many of these churches were built as thanksgiving to victory in annexing Goa. One such church was the Church of Our Lady of Rosary. This church marked the first victory of Portuguese in Goa.

 

 

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