The church in Azossim, Tiswadi, is dedicated to St Matthew, the Apostle. The parishioners celebrate the Feast of the Patron on September 21, the feast day of the patron, or the Sunday nearest to it. This year, it will be celebrated on September 21.
THE ORIGIN
According to the historian, Fr C C Nazare, the church in Azossim was constructed between 1596 and 1610 by the Augustinian Archbishop of Goa, D. Frei Aleixo de Menezes (Mitras Lusitanas pg 98, Vol I), along with a few other churches. The church that stands today was constructed later in another place.
But according to Msgr Canon F X Gomes Catao, the church was probably constructed in 1600, and later it was rebuilt on another site. The same was handed over to Clero Nativo (native clergy) for the purpose of administration. The parishioners celebrated its 4th centenary in 2000.
The cemetery, built around 1834, was enlarged in 1950; it had a chapel inside. The plague of 1780 that affected Old Goa also had devastating effects on Azossim.
LATER HISTORY
The church underwent some renovations during the time of Fr Armando de Souza, who was the parish priest for 7 years (1986-1993). He also constructed the parochial house with the first floor. It was blessed and inaugurated by Msgr Caetano C Fernandes de Souza, the Vicar General, on May 28, 1993.
A few years ago, some new elements were added to the fronton of the church, such as a concrete overhang (cement covering) above the doors. The pediments have disappeared; instead, turrets have appeared both in the belfry and the structure above the niche.
The lime plaster was replaced with cement plaster. A new compound wall with gates at the side entrance was modified and fortified. A modern residential building was constructed in place of the old one.
The church has four engraved graves: that of Vicar Estevam de Athayde, parish priest Diogo Pereira, another of Luiz de Souza and his wife Catharine do Rosario, and another at the foot of the altar of the Infant Jesus, without inscription.
In the compound stands a striking black stone cross, carved with symbols of martyrdom. This cross originally belonged to the Convent of the Holy Cross of Miracles.
THE CHURCH
The frontispiece of the church has three bays and three storeys with a tower on one side of the façade. The central bay has a Triad of Voids arranged in vertical order from the bottom in the following sequence: the arch of the door, the rectangle of the window above, and the niche for sheltering the image. Above the niche is the cross. The belfry tower is crowned with a pyramidal roof of masonry with a semicircular silhouette containing the bell fixed to a wooden frame.
THE ALTARS
The main altar is dedicated to the patron, St Matthew. There is a moving tabernacle in the main altar with 5 types of biblical pictures from the XVII century. The pictures are quite old, antiques mainly of the Birth of Jesus, the Visit of the Magi, the Last Supper, the Crucifixion and the Ascension; this is a unique tabernacle in Goa.
To the left of the image of St Matthew is the statue of St Peter, and to the right, St Paul. There are two other altars besides this. The left one is dedicated to Our Lady of Miracles and the right to the Infant Jesus.
There is another small chapel, and in it is the image of Jesus, which is used on Good Friday. The church has the statue of the Holy Redeemer enclosed in one of the altars.
The church has the Holy Cross chapel at Pelem Bhatt under its jurisdiction, and also other chapels that were first just crosses at the sites.
