When one thinks of Panjim’s heritage, the mentalpicture that always stands out is the church Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception. It is steepedin culture and rooted in Goa's history for more than four and half centuries.
In 1541, atthe time of its construction, the area where it was built was both hilly andresidential. The marshy area surrounding the church was full of paddy fieldsand coconut groves. Being situated on a hillock called‘Conceicao Hill’, the need was felt to build the architecturally beautifulsteps that lead up to it. It remained merely the Shrine of Nossa Senhora da Immaculada Conceicao before being raised to aParish Church in 1600. Along with its new status, the church was enlarged by re-constructingit with a view to looking at the population growth the year 1619. In the year1855, Praca de Flores, the littlesquare that lies before the church, was constructed.
While the church is simple in terms ofadornment, it retains a breath-taking aura precisely because of its austeresimplicity. The church’s main altar is devoted to Mary Immaculate. The altarsflanking on the left and right are devoted to Jesus and Our Lady of the Rosaryrespectively. On both sides of the altar there are two marble statues, one ofSt. Peter and one of St. Paul. In the year 1871, the bell belonging to theAugustinian Church of Our Lady which is in Old Goa was brought to Panjim to be installed in the church. After the Golden Bell in Se Cathedral, this was the second largest bell of its kind. Dueto this fact, the whole pediment of the façade was renovated and increased insize to accommodate it.
The feast of the Our Lady of the ImmaculateConception is celebrated every year on December 8. At this time, the church is ornatelydecorated and the entire church square is dotted with stalls. Standing tall on itslittle hillock, the church truly does stand out as testament to the capital’shistory.
