CATEDRAL SÉ DE SANTA CATARINA

St. Catherine's Cathedral is not only the largest church in Goa, it's also the most imposing in the whole of Asia. On November 25, 1510, Saint Catherine's Day, Alfonso de Albuquerque conquered Goa. To mark this victory, Sebastian ^I, King of Portugal, ordered the construction of a cathedral, logically dedicating it to the saint. Work began in 1562 and was completed in 1652. Francisco Coutinho, Portuguese viceroy, demanded that the church be "grandiose and demonstrate the wealth, power and glory of the Portuguese who dominated the seas from the Atlantic to the Pacific". The church was built for the Dominican order with royal funds. Tuscan on the outside, it features a Corinthian exterior with Baroque accents. The frontispiece rises to a height of 35 meters and is dominated by a single bell tower. There were originally two, to maintain symmetry, but the one on the right collapsed in 1776. The cathedral has 5 bells, the most famous of which, the Golden Bell, is the largest in Asia. Built of laterite, it is entirely whitewashed. Solidly oblong in shape, it features a classical cross-shaped interior with a wide nave, transept and choir.

The nave is flanked by eight chapels, two of which are framed by a finely openwork wooden grille with floral motifs. The most remarkable of these, on the left, is the Chapelle du Saint-Sacrement, with its gilded walls and ceiling, in stark contrast to the sobriety of the church. To the right of the main altar is the Chapel of the Miraculous Cross. Jesus Christ is said to have appeared on the cross in 1919. The gilded altarpiece depicts scenes from the life of Saint Catherine of Alexandria. She can be seen awaiting her punishment - she was beheaded - and then transported by angels to Mount Sinai. The high altar and altarpiece are entirely gilded, reflecting the Baroque style in vogue at the time. Wooden stalls have been placed for the monks of the convent, as well as a cathedra for the archbishop. On the right-hand side, a small balcony supporting the organ overlooks the choir. Below, a small room contains the baptismal font dating from 1532, over which St. Francis Xavier is said to have baptized many converts. Don't miss a visit to the adjacent Archaeological Survey of India museum. Please note that photography inside is prohibited.