The Church of St. Anne in Goa is a magnificent place of worship which is considered to be one of the most esteemed monuments in this Indian state. Construction of this shrine took several years and was completed in 1695. Although it has sadly endured many years of neglect, the monument undeniably retains a semblance of its former grandeur. In fact it is considered to be one of the largest and most elaborate historical monuments in the entirety of Asia.
This handsome church is dedicated to St. Anne, the grandmother of Jesus. At the height of its glory this place of worship was resplendent in its exterior as well as interior. The central altar contains a statue of St. Anne, with a figure of Mother Mary at her right hand side holding the infant Jesus. Above these figures you will see the Holy Spirit and on the highest level is placed a representation of the Father, thus completing the Holy Trinity. On each side of the principal altar you will see chapels featuring secondary altars.
The exterior of the church displays typical Baroque themed architecture. However an unusual element is the combination of Indian design motifs with Western derived ornamental patterns. Typical Indian motifs such as tropical fruits, lotuses and palm leaves are prominently employed in the decoration of the church. One of the most inventive aspects of the building is the hollow passages behind the walls which lead to the pulpit and the confessional box. This enabled devotees to proceed to the confessional box without being noticed.
An interesting story is recounted regarding the dedication of the church to St. Anne. It is said that an elderly native resident received a celestial vision in which an elderly lady wearing a hat and holding a staff informed him that she wished to reside in this church, then under construction. A similar vision was experienced by a local Brahmin lady, who was thereby miraculously cured of her grave illness. The village priest accordingly consecrated the shrine in honour of St. Anne.
If you intend to visit the area and desire an appealing Goa resort an outstanding selection would be Alila Diwa Goa. This fine beach resort in Goa offers attractive accommodations and many contemporary facilities.
Pushpitha Wijesinghe is an experienced independent freelance writer. He specializes in providing a wide variety of content and articles related to the travel hospitality industry.
