The Se Cathedral is dedicated to St. Catherine in Old Goa. It is considered to be one of the largest churches in Asia. It is also known to be the oldest and most celebrated religious buildings in Goa and has the prestige of being the seat of Archdiocese of Goa. The UNESCO has also declared it as a heritage site.
The Portuguese Viceroy Redondo commissioned the Se, or St. Catherines’ Cathedral, southwest of St. Cajetan church to be “a grandiose church worthy of the wealth, power and fame of the Portuguese who dominated the seas from the Atlantic to the Pacific”. Today it stands larger than any church in Portugal, although it was beset by problems, not least a lack of funds and Portugal’s temporary loss of independence to Spain. It took eighty years to build and was not consecrated until 1640.
The Se Cathedral is dedicated to St. Catherine, as it was on her feast day, 25th November 1510 that Alfonso de Albuquerque conquered Goa. Believers are awestruck to hear of the cross of Miracles, which is placed in the cathedral, its earlier church having been destroyed. People have had a vision of Christ on this cross and the rock on which it was found was said to spout water while, today, the cross is slowly growing. Earlier, it was at Se Cathedral that the sacred relics of St. FRANCIS Xavier were shown to the public.
The word Se is Portuguese word for See. The Se Cathedral was built to commemorate the victory of the Portuguese under Afonso de Albuquerque over a Muslim army, leading to the capture of the city of Goa in 1510. Since the day of the victory happened to be on the feast of Saint Catherine, the cathedral was dedicated to her.
It was commissioned by Governor George Cabral to be enlarged in 1552 on the remains of an earlier structure. Construction of the church began in 1562 in the Reign of King Dom Sebastiao. The Cathedral was completed in 1619 and was consecrated in 1640
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It had two towers, but one collapsed in 1716 and was never rebuilt.
It 1953, the Cathedral was presented with “the Golden Rose” by Venerable Pope Pius XII. The Golden Rose is a Gold Ornament, which the Popes of the Catholic Church have traditionally blessed and conferred as a token of reverence or affection. It is placed on the tomb of St. Francis Xavier.
The first Lithuanian, a Jesuit, Andrius Rudamina arrived in India in Goa on 22nd August 1625. Almost 400 years later, in the year 2015, a memorial stone bearing Andrius Rudamina’s name was erected in the courtyard of Se Cathedral in Old Goa.
Architecture
The architecture style of the Se Cathedral is Portuguese-Manueline. The exterior is Tuscan, whereas the interior is Corinthian. The church is 250 feet (76m) in length and 181 feet (55m) in breadth. The frontispiece stands 115 feet (35m) high.
Inside the cathedral
The Se Cathedral’s tower, houses a large bell known as the Golden Bell” on account of its rich tone. It is said to be the largest in Goa, and one of the best in the world. The main altar is dedicated to Catherine of Alexandria, and there are several old paintings on either side of it. On the right there is a chapel of the Cross of Miracles, where a vision of Christ is said to have appeared in 1619. There are six main panels, on which scenes from the life of Saint Catherine are carved. There is a huge gilded reredos above the main altar.
The Se Cathedral also houses a baptismal font made in 1532 which was used by Saint Francis Xavier in order to baptize several Goan converts.
Compiled by Sr. Apollonia HC
St. Joseph Convent, Aquem Alto, Margao