Goa is not only a city of party animals, rocking nightlife and fun on the beach but the city also has its deep rooted religious beliefs and is renowned for that. Se Cathedral Church in Goa along with the other churches reflects the traditional deep rooted religious values of Goa as well as the remnants of its glorious past.
The Se Cathedral Church dedicated to St. Catherine is also known as Chapel of St Catherine or St. Catherine’s Cathedral. Built in 16th century it is one of the largest churches in Asia, displaying the majestic grandeur of Portuguese rule.
The architectural style of Se Cathedral Church reflects Portuguese architecture. It has a Tuscan peripheral and a Corinthian core. The gilded ornamented altarpieces relate the tales of St. Catherine’s martyrdom. There were two towers on either side of the façade. However with the passage of time the southern tower had collapsed and was never reconstructed again. Around 250 ft in length and 181 feet in breadth, the huge structure is an evidence of the glorious Portuguese rule.
It was believed that in 1510 on the feast day of St. Catherine, Alfonso de Albuquerque had conquered Goa. There are also different tales about the Chapel of the Cross of Miracles housed in the Se Cathedral Church. It was believed that the vision of Christ appeared on the cross that hangs there. Earlier Se Cathedral Church was the place which was used for the public exposition of the body of St. Francis Xavier.
The Se Cathedral Church is larger even than the churches of Portugal, and it is the biggest church in Goa. The majesticity and magnanimity of this historic structure draws people from all over the world to this church.
The grandeur of the structure reminds us of the time when the Portuguese ruled from Atlantic to the Pacific.
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