Goa Churches
St. Cajetan Church
The
large and beautiful Church of St. Cajetan, lies about half a kilometer away
to the north east of the Se Cathedral, and quite near the ruins of the Viceregal
Palace. This church, which is said to have been modelled on the original design
of the Basilica of St.Peter in Rome, is architecturally Corinthian both externally
and internally while the gilded altars with rich carvings are in rich Baroque
style. The Church building itself is built of laterite blocks which are lime
plastered.
The Church of St. Cajetan as it is popularly known, (originally called The Church
of Our Lady of Divine Providence) and the Convent of St. Cajetan were built
by Italian friars of the Order of Theatines, (known in Portuguese as Clérigos
Regulares da Divina Providência). Although the church altar is dedicated
to Our Lady of Divine Providence, the church is named after the founder of the
Theatine order, St. Cajetan, a contemporary of St Francis Xavier.
In 1639, three Italians of the Order of Theatines were sent by Pope Urban VIII
to the kingdom of Golconda (near Hyderbad) to preach Christianity. They were
D. Pedro Avitabili, D. Francisco Marci and D. Antonio Maria Ardizone. The friars
were not permitted to work in Golconda, so they came to Goa on 25th October
1640.
In their new abode, they began the construction of a hospital but the local
Viceroy stopped their activities in 1643 and asked them to leave Goa in 1645.
However, D. Pedro Avitabili, their courageous leader went all the way to Portugal
to explain to the King, Dom João IV, that it would be in the interest
of Christian religion if they were allowed to work in Goa together with the
Portuguese priests.
Impressed by the determination of the Italian friar, the King gave permission
to build the hospital in 1650. In 1655, the Theatines managed to obtain permission
to build the Church and also a Convent. The construction of the Church was completed
in 1661. Although built around the same time, the Convent was much smaller in
size and was enlarged only later.
The
grand façade of the Church, has two towers on either side to serve as
belfry. There are Corinthian columns and pilasters supporting a pediment, and
four niches in which are kept the statues of the apostles.
Inside a clever use of internal buttresses and four huge pillars has turned
the interior into a cruciform. The main body of the church forms a Greek cross
on plan internally and oblong externally, with a nave ending in an apse and
aisles marked by four massive piers faced by Corinthian pilasters. These piers
also form the base for supporting, at the crossing, a circular dome that rests
on a drum and was crowned by a lantern. The inscription around the inside of
the base of the dome is a verse from St Matthew's gospel.
The ribbed vaults of the nave and aisles are of varying height and are coffered
with different floral designs. Two-ocatgonal rooms with domed roofs on either
side of the main altar serve as the sacristy.
There are six altars besides the main one dedicated to Our Lady of Divine Providence.
Profusely carved and gilded in Baroque style, these altars have twisted shafts
dominated by figures of angels. The altars also have Italian school paintings
on canvas, some depicting scenes from the life of St. Cajetan. The niches running
along the sides of the vault have wooden statues of saints.
The composition of baroque reredos is different from those of the neighbouring
churches since it tapers gracefully towards the ceiling, with large carvings
of angelic figures near the base and the whole crowned with a symbolic sun.
As one enters the Church, there are three altars on the left side dedicated
to the Holy family, Our Lady of Piety and St. Clare, while to the right are
those of St. John, St. Cajetan and St. Agnes. The largest of the altars on the
right hand side of the church is dedicated to St Cajetan himself.
There is a decorated wooden pulpit projecting from one of the piers. In the
crossing is a square raised platform, which serves as a pulpit. Underneath the
beautiful cupola, in the middle of the nave, there is a well which remains covered.
The presence of the well has led to the conjecture that the site was once the
setting of a Hindu temple.
