Old Goa. St. Catherine's Cathedral - the main Catholic temple of India

India is the mother of Hinduism. The faith of this country has remained unchanged for thousands of years. And then suddenly there is information that in this conservative country (in terms of faith) there is a functioning Christian church. It is located in the center of the tourist life - in Goa. St. Catherine's Cathedral is a real island of Christianity in such a faraway country. Let's get acquainted with it in more detail.

St. Catherine's Cathedral (Goa)

Hindus are very hard to pronounce a long European name, therefore in Asia it is customary to refer to the church as the cathedral of Se-Catedral. This is the oldest and most famous building of Christian culture throughout India. It is guarded by the world community, and now thousands of tourists come to Old Goa to view the beauty and uniqueness of 17th century architecture.

Now the church is decorated with Old Goa. St. Catherine's Cathedral was built at the time of Portuguese greatness, when imperial seafarers massively seized foreign countries.

Old Goa is considered the Catholic capital of Asia. About him very much is known due to the missionary activities of the now Saint Francis Xavier. It was he who initiated the creation of the cathedral and its main bishop after the opening. The relics of the saint are currently stored in the basilica in the center of the city.

History of creation

In the distant 1510, the Portuguese invaders broke into Goa, which was in India. This country evoked extraordinary interest among European colonists, as it possessed untold riches. The battle for domination was carried out for several decades, until at the beginning of the 16th century the Portuguese gained victory.

In honor of this great event for the empire, the king ordered the creation of a grand temple, which will testify to the greatness of Portugal. So the cathedral of St. Catherine appeared on Goa. And it is named in honor of the feast of St. Catherine the Great Martyr, on the day of the memory of which the army raised a victorious flag in the central square of the city.

Architecture

This is how the modern cathedral of St. Catherine (Goa) looks like . The photo was taken from the square on which the masterpiece of medieval art now rises.

By the way, the square itself is also very remarkable. It's called Terreiro de Sabayo. At the time of the Inquisition, an auto-da-fi was conducted here. Literally this translates as "an act of faith," but almost meant the execution of the judgments of the inquisitorial court, and this, as you know, painful executions.

The first project was completely different. Initially it was planned that the cathedral would be adobe, but as it turned out, such a design is completely unreliable in the tropical climate. The temple was rebuilt from a brick. The construction took 75 years and was finally completed in 1640 with solemn consecration.

Cathedral of St. Catherine (Old Goa) is made in the traditional style of Portuguese Gothic. The Portuguese and Italian architects took part in the design. The characteristic Gothic features are well traced: a rich façade with many carved details, complex multicolored stained-glass windows, sharp domes and spiers, pointed arch vaults and high columns.

Myths of the cathedral of St. Cedral

One of the most mysterious cases that occurred with the temple is the loss of the second tower. If you look closely, the photo shows that the cathedral of Se is not symmetrical. So you want to add a second tower for the proportion. The thing is that it was carried away in 1776 by a hurricane.

Some historical sources say that the tower has been torn down by a hurricane, others are sure that lightning has hit it. Heretics, however, believe that this is the message of God to the Portuguese government. Whatever it was, but soon the invaders were expelled from the country, and St. Catherine's Cathedral remained a symbol of the previous power.

Another story relates to the appearance of Christ. According to eyewitnesses, the image of the Son of God appeared in one of the chapels. After that, a crucifix was found at that place. Even those who do not believe in miraculous power are surprised, but the crucifix every year increases by a few millimeters. Legends are about his phenomenal powers. They say that leaning against a crucifixion, you can not only ask for healing, but also ask the deceased the right way out of a difficult situation. Now the chapel is called the name of Christ.

Main attraction

In one of the remaining towers, there was a majestic landmark, which one can see from all corners of Goa. St. Catherine's Cathedral preserved a huge gilded bell. It is called Golden Bell. Adding a noble metal gives a special sound. Such a symbol is the only relic of this scale that has been preserved since that time. It is the largest not only in Asia, but also one of the largest leaders in the world.

The central altar is also of interest. It is dedicated to Catherine of Alexandria. Surprisingly, several paintings have survived since the 17th century. They are on display just on the main altar. The largest image, dating from the end of the 17th century, is located next to the place where the church choir sings.

On the right and left of the altar are the chapels. There are eight in all, and each of them bears the name of one of the Catholic saints.

Where to go

A typical tourist does not need to know exactly where the Cathedral of St. Catherine (Goa) is located. How to get there is the care of travel agencies offering tours to this place. But just in case, we say: you need to go to the city of Old Goa or Goe Velia (more common name in India). If you get on your own, the easiest way is to book a taxi.