Se Cathedral
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Se Cathedral (Sé Cathedral of Santa Catarina) is a Cathedral dedicated to St.Catherine of Alexandria, located in Old Goa, India. Se Cathedral is one of the oldest and most celebrated religious buildings in Goa and is one of the largest churches in Asia.
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[edit] History
The Se Cathedral was built to commemorate the victory of Portuguese under Afonso de Albuquerque over a Muslim army, leading to the capture of the city of Goa in 1510. Since the day of the Victory, happened to be on the occasion of the feast of St. Catherine, the cathedral was dedicated to her.
It was commissioned to be enlarged in 1552 on the remains of an earlier structure by Governor George Cabral, and the actual construction began in 1562 under the reign of King Dom Sebastião. The Cathedral was finally completed in 1619 and was consecrated in 1640.
[edit] Architecture
The architecture style of Se Cathedral is Portuguese-Gothic. The exteriors are Tuscan, where as the interiors are Corinthian.The church is 250 feet in length and 181 feet in breath. The frontispiece stands 115 ft high.
[edit] Inside the Cathedral
The Se Cathedral’s tower houses a large bell known as the Golden Bell which is said to be the largest in Goa and one of the best in the world, often referred to as 'Golden Bell' on account of its rich tone. The main altar is dedicated to St. Catherine of Alexandria. There are also several old paintings on either side of it. On its rith there is a Chapel of the Cross of Miracles, where a vision of Christ is said to have appeared in 1919. There are six main panels, on which scenes from the life of St. Catherine are beautifully carved. There is also a huge gilded reredos above the main altar.
Se Cathedral also houses the baptismal font made in 1532, which was used by St. Francis Xavier, the patron saint of Goa to baptise several Goan converts. Earlier, it was at Se Cathedral that the sanctified relics of St. Francis Xavier were exposed to the public.
