Se Cathedral
The Sé Catedral de Santa Catarina, known as Se Cathedral, is the cathedral of the Latin Rite Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Goa and Daman and the seat of the Patriarch of the East Indies. It is located in Old Goa, India.
Standing with its gracious façade facing east to welcome each new day, and to the west of the great square Terreiro de Sabaio, Se Cathedral is the most imposing of all the churches at Old Goa, its vaulted interior overwhelming visitors with its sheer grandeur. Se Cathedral Goa, is dedicated to St. Catherine
Among all the churches of Old Goa, Se Cathedral is regarded as the most striking. It has an arched interior and beautiful courtyard that impress the visitors with its absolute magnificence. This Cathedral is dedicated to St.Catherine of Alexandria. It has five bells of which there’s an eminent Golden bell. It is considered as one of the best bell in the world and is the biggest in Goa.
Se Cathedral is surely the most prominent of all the churches in Goa. This is a huge church and the architecture is truly unique. Along with the other famous churches of Goa, the Se Cathedral is a major attraction of tourism in Goa.
History
The word Sé is Portuguese for See. The Se Cathedral was built to commemorate the victory of the 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 feast of Saint Catherine, the cathedral was dedicated to her.
It was commissioned by Governor George Cabral to be enlarged in 1552 on the remains of an earlier structure. Construction of the church began in 1562 in the reign of King Dom Sebastião.The cathedral was completed in 1619 and was consecrated in 1640.It had two towers, but one collapsed in 1776 and was never rebuilt.
In 1953, the Cathedral was presented with "The Golden Rose" by Venerable Pope Pius XII. The Golden Rose is a gold ornament, which the Popes of the Catholic Church have traditionally blessed and conferred as a token of reverence or affection. It is placed on the tomb of St. Francis Xavier.
Visitor Information
Famous For :A World Heritage Site
Entrance Fee : No Entry Fee
Visiting Time : Mass: Sunday – 7.15 AM, 10.00 AM and 4.00 PM, Weekdays – 7.30 AM and 6.00 PM