Fast Facts
Location : Old Goa, at a distance of 10 kms from Panaji
Year of Construction : 1521
Style of Architecture : Initially Manueline rebuilt as
Tuscan with Baroque
Church Timings : Open all weekdays from 7.30 am to 6.30
pm, Sundays closed.
Museum Timings : 9 am - 12.30 pm, 3 pm - 6.30 pm
About the Church and Convent
If
you are in Old Goa, undoubtedly visiting the churches of this old town is a
priority in your itinerary. A worth visiting place, Church and Convent of
St. Francis of Assisi is one of the most important churches of Old Goa. To
visit this magnificent church, take a walk to the west of the Se Cathedral,
there is an old palace of the Archbishop, which connects the Se Cathedral to
the Church and Convent of St. Francis of Assisi.
Church and Convent of St. Francis of Assisi, are the reminder of the
Franciscan friars, who came to Goa in the early 16th century. After their
arrival in 1517, with their consistent efforts they constructed a small
chapel with three altars and a choir. Eventually in the year 1521, the
chapel was modified into a church and dedicated to the Holy Ghost in 1602.
Later, the church was pulled down and the present church was constructed on
the same spot in 1616, retaining only the black stone gateway. The
west-facing church has a nave with three chapels on both side, a choir on
the first floor, a main altar and two other altars. To the north of the main
altar is a belfry and sacristy.
Originally built as a group of cells by Friars for their residence purpose,
those structures were later converted into a convent in 1529. In 1835, the
Portuguese Government closed the convent and an Archaeological Museum was
established here in 1964. In the museum, you will find a huge collection of
artifacts, paintings and sculptors. Most appealing exhibits that you can see
here are 60 portraits of the Portuguese viceroys and governors of Goa.
Other exhibits that will fascinate you are a statue of Albuquerque, a model
of Vasco da Gama's Sao Gabriel, the bronze statue of St Catherine and Grey
basalt statues of Lord Vishnu and Surya, both belong to the Kadamba period.
The museum also exhibits stone slabs with inscriptions in Marathi and
Persian, hero stones, sati stones, coins and Christian iconography in wood.
Architecture of the Church
Built on laterite blocks, the church is lime-plastered. Initially built in
Manueline architectural style, the present church was rebuilt with a Tuscan
exterior and a Baroque interior. Its Manueline style gateway was saved from
the former church, which still stands at the main entrance. The facade of
the church is flanked on its either side by octagonal towers.
Interior of the Church
After taking a splendid view of the Tuscan facade, enter inside the church
from the Manueline style main entrance. As you enter inside the church, a
wooden pulpit beautifully carved with floral patterns on the left welcomes
you. Its interiors have been illustrated with scenes from Holy Bible and
some exquisite 17th century wall paintings. The buttress walls are nicely
decorated with floral frescoes that have a touch of Indo-Portuguese Baroque
style. The interior walls separate the three chapels and support a gallery
above. Other noted features of this church are the gilded main altar and
inscribed tombstones paving the floor.
The main altar of the church is heavily ornated in Baroque style with
Corinthian features. Dedicated to St. Francis, the altar has a huge statue
of St. Francis and an equally large statue of Jesus Christ on the cross.
Beneath the two statues are the inscriptions of the three vows of the Saint
- poverty, humility and obedience. On either side of the main altar are
beautiful paintings on wood, depicting scenes from life of St. Francis of
Assisi.
