Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Church, Goa
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2018}}
{{Short description|Cathedral in Goa, India}}
{{Coord|15|29|54|N|73|49|46|E|region:IN|display=title}}
{{Infobox Historic building
| image = Panaji, Goa, India, Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Church at night.jpg
| caption =
| name = Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception
| native_name = {{native name|pt|Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Imaculada Conceição}}
| location_country = India
| architect =
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| engineer =
| construction_start_date =
| completion_date = Chapel in 1541, Church in {{start date and age|1609}}
| date_demolished =
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| structural_system =
| style = Baroque
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}}
The Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Church ({{langx|pt|Igreja de Nossa Senhora da Imaculada Conceição}}) is located in Panjim, Goa, India. The Church conducts Mass every day in English, Konkani, and Portuguese.{{Sfn|Harding|2003|p=116}}
The colonial Portuguese Baroque style church was first built in 1541 as a chapel on a hill side overlooking the city of Panjim. It was eventually replaced by a larger church in the 1600s as part of Portuguese Goa's religious expansion.{{Sfn|Thomas|2012|p=246}}{{Sfn|Abram|2003|p=74}} This church houses the ancient bell that was removed from the Augustinian ruins of the Church of Our Lady of Grace ({{langx|pt|Nossa Senhora da Graça}}) in the once famed city of Old Goa. This bell is considered to be the second largest of its kind in Goa, surpassed only by the Golden Bell which resides in the Sé Cathedral in Old Goa.
History
A chapel was first built in Panaji in 1541, to serve the religious needs of Portuguese sailors at their first port of call in colonial Portuguese India. At that time the settlement was a small fishing village.{{Sfn|Abram|2003|p=74}} It became a Parish in 1600, and in 1609 the small chapel was replaced by the present day large church to minister to the residents and sailors.{{Cite web|url=http://www.goatourism.gov.in/destinations/churches/138-our-lady-of-the-immaculate-conception-church-Panjim|title=Our Lady Of The Immaculate Conception Church, Panjim|publisher=Government of Goa, Department of Tourism|access-date=11 September 2016|archive-date=16 August 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160816170321/http://www.goatourism.gov.in/destinations/churches/138-our-lady-of-the-immaculate-conception-church-panjim|url-status=live}} In the 18th century the stairways, in a symmetrical zigzag form, were added to the church. The second largest church bell in Goa was installed in a bell tower in 1871. It was formerly at the Augustinian Monastery on Holy Hill, and was retrieved after the monastery was damaged.{{Sfn|Thomas|2012|p=246}}{{Sfn|Fodor's|2013|p=427}}The largest church bell in Goa is at the Se Cathedral {{harv|Harding|2003|p=116}}.
Location
The church is located in Panjim and sits atop a hill facing the square below. The city's municipal garden (Garcia da orta) lies to its southeast and can be seen from atop the hill. The site was once the location of a colonial port landing where ships sailing from Lisbon made first call, and where sailors disembarked before proceeding further inland to Ela (now Old Goa) – the capital of Goa until the 19th century.{{Sfn|Thomas|2012|p=246}} A laterite stone walkway with zigzag stairs ascend the church while lines of thin and tall palm trees form part of the scene.{{Sfn|Abram|2003|p=74}}
Architecture
= Exterior =
The exterior facade of the church, rich with Portuguese Baroque style architectural elements is painted a bright white to signify the Immaculate virgin, Mary. The tall belfry centered atop the facade houses the bell from the Augustinian Monastery.{{Sfn|Thomas|2012|p=246}} The imposing facade is distinctive with its two towers and centrally placed taller belfry. It can be seen from a great distance and is often known as the ‘crown’ of Panjim.{{Cite web|url=http://www.goa-tourism.com/GTDC-holidays//places-to-see-goa/church-of-our-lady-of-immaculate-conception.htm|title=Goa Tourism - Church of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception Panjim|last=GTDC|website=www.goa-tourism.com|language=en|access-date=2017-03-13|archive-date=14 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170314062525/http://www.goa-tourism.com/GTDC-holidays//places-to-see-goa/church-of-our-lady-of-immaculate-conception.htm|url-status=live}} The church is laid out in the orthodox cruciform fashion with a nave and a transept. The steps are possibly remodeled after the Nossa Senhora da Peneda Sanctuary in Penada and the Bom Jesus do Monte church in Braga, Portugal.
=Interior=
The interior of the church is not extravagant, but is colorful. The main altar, which has an elegant decor, is dedicated to Mother Mary. There are two other intricately carved, gold plated and decorated altars on either side of the main altar. The one to the left is of Jesus's Crucifixion and the one to the right is of the Our Lady of the Rosary. These two altars are flanked by marble statues of St Peter and St Paul.
On festive occasions, the wooden structural elements, which form part of the vaulted ceiling above the altars, are festooned with twines of blue and white flowers, an indication of the external color scheme of the church.{{Sfn|Abram|2003|p=74}}
There is also a chapel of St. Francis Xavier, located in the south transept to the right side of the main altar; the statues in this chapel are enclosed in a glass case.{{Sfn|Abram|2003|p=74}}
Festival
During the Festival of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception, held every year on 8 December, the church is colourfully illuminated. A fair is also part of this festival.
File:Church Panjim.jpg|Statue of Virgin Mary
File:GoaChurch3.jpg|The square below
File:Church of the Immaculate Conception, Panjim Goa.JPG|The church at night
References
{{Reflist}}
=Bibliography=
- {{cite book|last= Abram |first=David |title=Goa|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GGZRtj4OnccC&pg=PA74|year=2003|publisher=Rough Guides|isbn=978-1-84353-081-7}}
- {{cite book|last=Fodor's|first=India|title=Fodor's Essential India: with Delhi, Rajasthan, Mumbai, and Kerala|url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780891419433|url-access=registration|page=[https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780891419433/page/427 427]|date=7 May 2013|publisher=Fodor's Travel Publications|isbn=978-0-89141-944-0}}
- {{cite book|last= Harding |first=Paul |title=Goa|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cmO6M63ISKYC&pg=PA134|year=2003|publisher=Lonely Planet|isbn=978-1-74059-139-3}}
- {{cite book|last1= Thomas |first=Amelia |title=Lonely Planet Goa & Mumbai|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=A0eQGtZbt4oC&pg=PT246|date=1 June 2012|publisher=Lonely Planet|isbn=978-1-74321-315-5}}
External links
{{Commons category|Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Church, Goa|
Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Church, Goa|position=right}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:Roman Catholic churches in Goa
Category:Roman Catholic churches completed in the 1600s
Category:16th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in India
Category:1541 establishments in India
Category:1609 establishments in India
Category:1540s establishments in Portuguese India
Category:Portuguese colonial architecture in India
Category:1541 establishments in the Portuguese Empire
Category:Churches in North Goa district