It is a great feeling to learn about the great Saint Francis of
Assisi, Italy, who lived over 800 years ago and to be at the magnificent Church
of Saint Assisi and Convent in Goa, which was established by eight Portuguese
Franciscan Friars who landed in Goa in 1517. It is situated in the main square
of Old Goa, 10 kilometres east of Panaji, the State Capital.
Saint Francis of Assisi was born Giovanni di Pietro di Bemardone,
informally named as Francesco (1181-3rd Oct.1226). He was born in Assisi a town
in Italy in the province of Perugia. He founded the Franciscan religious order
– Order of Friars Minor for men, Order of Saint Clare for women, the order of
Saint Francis and the Custody of the Holy Land, in this town around 1208. Pope
Gregory IX canonized Francis on 16th July 1228 and he was designated Patron
Saint of Italy. St. Francis is one of the most venerated religious figures in
history. The present Pope (266th), Jorge Mario Bergoglio from Argentina, took
his Papal title after St. Francis of Assisi and is known to the world as Pope
Francis. Life of St. Francis has made an impact on me. You may look for his
life particulars on internet.
Now coming back to the Church, it was a small Chapel in 1517. It
was modified to a Church in 1521 and consecrated in 1602. That building was
replaced by the current structure erected in 1661. It is a mixture of styles.
Its exterior decoration is in the simple Tuscan order, but its interior
especially the main altar is rich with Baroque and Corinthian features. The
three-tier exterior façade has two distinct octagonal towers, one on each side
and a small niche that houses a statue of Mary. The Church’s interior includes
a richly ornamental niche with a tabernacle supported by the four Evangelists
on the main altar. Above the tabernacle are two large statues, one of St. Francis
of Assisi and the other of the crucified Christ. The Church’s gilded interior
is decorated with paintings of events in the life of St. Francis, carved
woodwork, additional statues, and frescos with intricate floral designs. You
may see this to some extent in the attached pictures.
The Convent, contiguous to the Church houses a museum that was set
up by the Archaeological Survey of India in 1964. The museum contains several
artifacts, paintings and sculptures that testify Goa’s rich and vibrant history…photography
is prohibited in the museum.
This is a must visit place in Old Goa. And as a final word, no tour
of Goa could be complete without a visit to this twofold attraction.
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