A Holy Tour of Churches in Goa

August 27, 2013 eweekendbreaks 0 travelling,

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Religion may well be the last thing that most people will associate with Goa tourism. After all, Goa is a destination most well known for its legendary sun, sand, and surf. Besides thinking of Goa usually brings to the mind images of a groovy nightlife, delectable dishes of seafood, high voltage romance, and endless sightseeing. However, it is also equally true that Goa is dotted with lots of immensely well known holy places. In fact, there are numerous famous churches and temples that have become piping hot sightseeing venues in their own right. Here, we will present some of the most well known of churches in Goa.

Basilica of Bom Jesus

This UNESCO World Heritage Site has a cult status with most interesting claim to fame being its chapel. A silver casket in the chapel remains the final resting place for the mortal remains of St Francis Xavier, one of the most celebrated of saints. Due to the connection with St Francis Xavier, the Basilica of Bom Jesus has become one of the most famous of churches in Goa. In spite of its importance, the architecture of the church is pretty simplistic. Only the altars are elaborately gilded and precious stones have been used for inlaying the flooring.

Mary Immaculate Conception Church

Well, you may not have been to any of the Goa churches but still the Mary Immaculate Conception Church could seem familiar to you. No, there’s no supernatural connection in this matter. It may look familiar if you have seen the Bollywood flick, ‘Josh’, in which Aishwarya Rai and Shah Rukh Khan played brother and sister. Parts of the movie were shot here. This church looks surreally beautiful at night, when it gets lighted up with scores of tiny little bulbs.

Church of Rachol

This one is another of those churches in Goa that has lots of interesting history. It is located in Margao and while the present structure is dedicated to St Ignatius of Loyola, the original church was dedicated to St Ignatius of Loyola. There is an underground pass here that makes for a thrilling exploration episode as well. The pass goes all the way to Rachol Fortress. Yet, another attraction is the Seminary of Rachol, where religious education is imparted upon Christian missionaries. Furthermore, a mini museum inside the church makes your experience all the more fulfilling and satiating. This church is easily a highlight of religious Goa tourism.

St Cajetan Church

Well, St Cajetan Church is the place to be if you want to experience the feel of visiting St Peter’s Basilica in Rome, while indulging in the heady delights of Goa tourism. This church looks very similar to the St Peter’s Basilica. A major attraction is the high vault here, which bears the inscriptions, ‘My House is A House of The Words of Christ’. Different saints have dedicate altars such as St John, St Agnes, St Clare, and St Cajetan. It is surely a not to be missed place when you set about exploring churches in Goa.

Author Bio:

This guest post is submitted by Chandralekha. Chandralekha is a Travel enthusiast, currently working with ixigo.com, an online India Travel Guide. Hope the above information about Goa tourism helps you to plan your trip. Apart from this she also writes to guide train travelers on irctc railway reservation , pnr status & all the Indian railways related stuff.