Goa Se Cathedral is the biggest Asian church devoted to St. Catherine as Goa was overpowered by the Portuguese Naval General, Alfonso de Albuquerque on the 25th of November which was St. Catherine's Day. Then the Dominicans, the earliest missionaries were sent to Goa by the Portuguese. Goa Se Cathedral was originally a building made of stones, straw and mud. Later amendments were made and in 1515, a new building of Goa Se Cathedral was constructed. The rank of the church was raised to that of a cathedral and the building was destroyed for the construction of the new structure. The Portuguese government ordered the then Count of Redondo, Viceroy Dom Francisco Coutinho to build a highfalutin church which would embody the glory of the Portuguese dominance across all the seas. Planned by Ambroso Arguero and Julio Simao, the new building of Goa Se Cathedral was completed in 1619, the construction being started in 1562. After the completion of the west facing Goa Se Cathedral, which is a building made according to the shape of the cross, the Blessed Sacrament was ceremoniously kept on the altar on Guardian Angel's feast day.
Mainly following the Portuguese Gothic technique, the outside structure of Goa Se Cathedral displays Tuscan architecture and the inside is the depiction Corinthian style. The portico, which is 98 ft in height, was edged by two square towers on two sides, north and south. After the collision of the northern tower in 1776, the southern which at presents stands alone, has a 'Golden Bell' which is so called because of its melodious sound. Announced as a heritage monument by UNESCO, Goa Se Cathedral is also the proud seat of Goa's Archdiocese where the mortal remnants of St. Xavier were displayed earlier.
The entrance has a pediment which is held by two columns constructed in Corinthian style standing on a platform, the entrance having Latin inscriptions depicting the facts about the construction of Goa Se Cathedral. The two columns contain two marble basins of holy water. Goa Se Cathedral altogether contains eight chapels and fifteen altars. The main altar having scenes engraved about the Martyrdom of St. Catherine on its frame, is devoted to St. Catherine with the two images of St. Paul and St. Peter on the two sides. A big painting of St. Christopher is placed below the choir. The throne of Goa's Archbishop is placed near the altar. An organ belonging to the eighteenth century is kept close to the gallery near the central area. The four altars are on each side of the cathedral. Six altars are also present in the crosswise section, three each on the main altar's two sides.
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