Margao, the largest town in Goa, houses one of the state’s religious centres of significance. Even long before Portuguese entered Goa, Margao was known for its University Library that had over 10,000 books, which for the age was considered remarkable.
A stroll through the colourful streets ofMargao will inadvertently bring one to the picturesque church square. The HolySpirit Church in the centre of the square is of interest not only for thereligiously inclined, but also for the general public and history buffs. If itswalls could speak, the rich historic tales they would tell would both regaleand send chills up one’s spine.
The Jesuits chose Margao as the site forthe establishment of their college in the south. The first church here wasbuilt in 1565 and is rumoured to have been constructed on the site of a Hindu temple(the Damodar Temple was later built in the village of Zambaulim,22 kilometres from Margao when the Hindus smuggled the deity there).The first Goan Archbishop Dom Gaspar Leao Pereira, personally visited Margao tomark the site. He then appointed Diogo Rodrigues, a captain stationed atRachol, to carry out and oversee the construction. Shortly after, the churchwas torched by Muslim raiders. Though the structure was rebuilt, the incident recurredin 1579 and after this the Seminary was moved to Rachol as it had greaterprotection behind the walls of the fort.
The towering, white-washed edifice that is Holy Spirit Church, or Igreja do Espirito Santo, was builtin the year 1675. The church has a central dome with towers on both sides and 10altars, the central one dedicated to the Holy Spirit. It also has heavilyornamented altars that are devoted to Saint Peter, Saint Michael, Saint Roqueand Mother Mary. The church has a chapel annexed to it - Capela de Nossa Senhora da Piedade - which was built on the hillockadjacent to the church in 1820.
To the west of the structure is the road, Rua do Abade Faria, Margao’s tribute toGoa’s celebrated hypnotist. Clusters of Indo-Portuguese houses line the roadwhich leads up to the church square. Many more of these colonial houses dot thelandscape around the church. The area is known as the Largo de Igrega. Before urbanisation led to construction, this areawas a social hub, and till today comprises Margao’s Latin Quarter.
