Welcome to the Sé Catedral!!! We hope this article guides you through your visit to this magnificient 16th century monument which is the largest Church in Asia. The Sé Catedral which began as a small chapel built of mud and straw under the order of Alfonso de Albuquerque after his conquest of Goa is rich in architecture and history it is said that Alfonso de Albuquerque vowed to construct a church as it was on St. Catherine’s feast day that he was crowned with victory. He ordered a church to be built and an altar raised with a picture of St. Catherine hung over it. As the Chapel was made of mud ,

and covered with straw which rendered it liable to catch fire it was rebuilt and the present Cathedral stands a little away from the original Church. St. Catherine’s church was raised to the honour of Cathedral on 3"! November 1534. The construction of the Cathedral started in 1562 during the reign of King Dom Sebastiao (1557-78) and was completed years later. The two great architects Ambrosio Argueiros and Julio Simao designed the new Cathedral. The Cathedral is witness to the Portuguese rule in Goa and is truly a majestic edifice. ,

The Cathedral faces the east and its beautiful entrance is approached by a flight of steps. This majestic Cathedral which is known and admired the world over is situated to the west of the great square called Terreiro do Sabaio and has its fagade turned to the east. The exterior of the Cathedral is of Tuscan and Doric style having three large portals (a door entrance). The main door has Corinthian columns. The top of the main door of the Cathedral has a tiara with two keys, papal ensigns, flanked by the inscription of the year and details of the foundations. At the top in the niche there is a statue of St. Catherine.

The facade is ended by a triangular base with a cross at the top, flanked by one square tower as the other was destroyed by lightning on 25" July 1776. Due to high cost it was not reconstructed. The existing tower has five bells. These five bells together intone the notes of Do to sol. It is here that the “golden bell”or “St. Peters bell” exists which is very big and is the most resounding among all those existing in Goa. Its rich tone inspired Thomas Rebeiro to write some excellent verses on the bell of the Cathedral.

The interior of the Cathedral is impressively beautiful and has a vaulted ceiling. The body of the church is divided by two rows of pillars into a nave and two aisles.

The pillared nave is barrel-vaulted while the crossing is rib-vaulted which supports the choir.

From the vault hangs the national shield surmounted with imperial crown and one chandelier of 40 candles in the middle.

At the entrance are two marble basins inserted in the columns with the statues of St. Francis Xavier and St. Ignatius of Loyola. To the right there is a baptismal font which is of black stone. It is said that in this font the apostle of the Indies, St. Francis Xavier may have baptized a great number of people. On the left of the entrance there is a stairway leading to the choir.

Another remarkable object in this place is a large picture representing St. Christopher with the Infant Jesus on his shoulders. On 25" July of each year, the day dedicated to the commemoration of this holy martyr, the chapter offers thanks to the Saint for having saved through his intercession the rest of the Cathedral from destruction when one of its towers fell down.

Turning to the right we see four chapels the first dedicated to St. Anthony, the second to St. Bernard, the third to the Cruz Milagres and the fourth to the Holy Ghost. To the left of the entrance are four chapels, the first is dedicated to Our Lady of Virtues, the second to St. Sebastian, the third to Blessed Sacrament and the fourth to our Lady of Life. The chapels of the Blessed Sacrament and the Cross of Miracles are cloistered behind finely filigreed wooden screens.

As we proceed to the interior we find the transcept. It has six altars , three on each side. Those to the right are dedicated respectively to St. Anna, Our Lady of Doloures and St. Peter, while those on the left are those of Our Lady of Sorrows, Our Lady of Hope and Our Lady of Three Necessities.

To the right is a door that leads to the sacristy, which is a barrel-vaulted structure with a gilded altar. In the Sacristy one can see seven picture frames of St. Catherine and twelve apostles between these, another three of the same saint. On the south there is an altar of St. Monica with episodes of her life. This altar was brought from the chapel of the monastery of St. Monica and at the top there was the statue of St. Anthony though now substituted by that of St. Mary Magdalene and by the side of this Altar, is the renovated painting of St. Barbara. On the west is that of Jeronimo, St. Joseph and St. Ursula and on the north of St. Peter and St. Paul. A painting represents the vision of St. Francis Xavier about the crosses and the travels that he would undergo in the east. The big chest of inlaid work, which also is found there, was brought from St. Monica; monastry the other bigger ones are also ancient. Next to the sacristy door there is a solar clock .