|
|
Opposite the
Se
Cathedral, beyond the road is the large and beautiful church of St.
Cajetan built of laterite blocks, which were lime plastered. The façade,
having two towers on either side to serve as belfry, has Corinthian
columns and pilasters supporting a pediment, and four niches in which are
kept the statues of the apostles.
The Greek Influence
The main body of the church is Greek cross on plan internally and oblong
externally, with a nave ending in an apse and aisles marked by four
massive piers faced by Corinthian pilasters. These piers also form the
base for supporting, at the crossing, a circular dome that rests on a drum
and was crowned by a lantern. The ribbed vaults of the nave and aisles are
of varying height and are coffered with different floral designs. The
two-ocatgonal rooms having domical roofs on either side of the main altar
serves as the sacristy.
Baroque Style Altars
There are six altars besides the main one, which is dedicated to our lady
of divine providence. These altars are profusely carved and gilded in
Baroque style with twisted shafts and figures of angles dominating in
each. The altars also have paintings on canvas of the Italian school, some
depicting scenes from the life of St. Cajetan. The niches running along
the sides of the vault have wooden statues of saints.
The three altars on the left side, as one enters, are dedicated to the
Holy family, Our Lady of Piety and St. Clare, while to the left are those
of St. John, St. Cajetan and St. Agnes. There is a decorated wooden pulpit
projecting from one of the piers. In the crossing is a square raised
platform, which serves as a pulpit.
There is a tank or a well beneath it that has led to many conjectures.
Some regard that the platform covers the holy tank of a Hindu
temple
that once existed here, while others explain that the water reservoir at
the centre of the building was deliberately planned by the architect to
afford greater stability to the structure.
This church, which is modelled on the original design of St. Peter's
Church in Rome, is
architecturally
Corinthian both externally and internally while the gilded altars with
rich carvings are in baroque style.
The church was built by Italian friars of the Order of Theatines who were
sent by the Pope Urban III to preach Christianity in the kingdom of
Golconda. As they were not permitted to work there they settled down in
Goa in 1640. They obtained the site in 1655 by a Royal order and the
church was built in the 17th century. 