Information about The Church Of St.Cajatan Goa
Location: Goa
State: Goa
Capital: Panji
Language: Konkani, Hindi, English, Marathi
Temperature: Max 33˚C, Min 26˚C (summer), Max 26˚C, Min 14˚C (winter)
Best Season: March to June
How to Reach:
By Air :
Dabolim is the main entry point for Goa situated at a distance of around 29 km from Panaji on the coast near Vasco da Gama. Most domestic airlines operate in Goa apart from chartered private airlines operating from UK and Germany. Indian Airlines has direct flights from Delhi and Mumbai daily. Air India also flies to Goa.
By Rail :
It is not difficult to reach Goa by trains, especially after opening of the Konakan Railway that connects Margao and Vasco da Gama to major cities in India. You can take trains from Delhi 1,874 km), Mumbai (490km), and Bangalore (430 km) to reach Goa comfortably. From the railway stations, you can hire taxis and motorcycle taxis to reach the desired destinations.
By Road:
Goa, Maharashtra, and Karnataka state transport corporations operate from the Kadamba bus stand at Panaji. Frank Shipping operates a boat service between Mumbai and Panaji.
There are many things that will make your jaw drop in India. The Church of St. Cajetan, a mere 3-minute walk from Se Cathedral, is indeed one of them. Some Italian monks of the Theatine Order (1656-1700) built this diminutive domed church on the lines of the Roman Basilica of St. Peter. Even though it is small as compared to other Christian places of worship in Goa, architecturally, it is applauded as the epitome of many churches. Visited by devotees of all sect and creed, the elegant, three storeyed Convent of St. Cajetan is known for its Corinthian coloumns and pilasters of gigantic proportion. Spare out some time to visit this magnificent construction, an animated magic of exquisite craftsmenship.
The Church
Interestingly, the external architecture is Corinthian whereas the interiors are adorned in a Mosaic-Corinthian way. In keeping with the general rule of the Theatine order, it has no separate towers, but turrets. The church has a nave and two side aisles with a Baroque interior richly ornamented with gilded altars and rare paintings. Instead of being classical in style, as suggested by the facade, the motifs are tempered by native art. The pulpit in the Rococo style, is a showpiece of Goan craftsmenship. The cupola indeed presents a majestic appearance, and because of the windows right around the dome, the interior of the church is always bright! Step into the nave and you can see an exquisite altar, unsurpassable in execution and design. Under this altar, you can see a crypt with a vault. Moreover, the covered well inside the alcove attests that it was once the site of a Hindu temple.