One of the many beautiful churches in Old Goa which is also considered to be a UNESCO Heritage site, St Cajetan's Church was earlier known as The Church of Our Lady of Divine Providence and the main altar of the church is in fact dedicated to Our Lady of Divine Providence.
Modelled on the lines of the original design of the Basilica of St Peter in Rome and built with laterite stone plastered with line by the Italian friars of the Order of Theatines, the church is an example of Corinthian architecture although there are Baroque elements in the gilded altars.
It was Pope Urban III who sent the friars down to India to the kingdom of Golconda to preach about Christianity following which they settled in Goa in 164 and slowly built the church.The church is named after the founder of the Theatine order, St.Cajetan (a contemporary of St.Francis Xavier).
The church has seven altars in all, the other six are dedicated to the Holy Family, Our Lady of Piety, St. Clare, St. John, St. Cajetan and St. Agnes. The paintings on the altars are done in Italian style with some depicting paintings from the life of St. Cajetan. If you walk up to the main altar one can see a square raised podium which a well beneath it .
Casa Araujo AlvaresGoa is home to some of the most beautiful homes in the country. Such is the splendour of the ‘Goan villa’, that it has become one of the most prized possessions for the rich and famous in the country and outside it.But in this region with homes of abundant beauty, there are still a few residences which stand out even more than the rest. One of them surely is the 250-year-old Casa Araujo Alvares, whose magnificent doors even carry the crest of the family. The grand house even has its own chapel where the inmates of the home kneel down before the almighty. The chapel itself is a treasure trove of its own, which includes ivory figurines, an enchanting marble statue of Madonna and exquisitely carved wooden panels. One of the other highlights of the house is an image of St. Anthony which was ferried from Africa and whose miraculous powers have blessed the family inhabiting the house.Incidentally, the reason why the Alvares brothers threw the doors of their house open to members of the public, especially tourists, is because high costs of maintenance and repairs which are required to keep these centuries old structures up and fighting fit.So if you want to do your bit to keep Goa’s culture and heritage alive, make sure you do patronise places which are great repositories of age-old elegance, along with popular beaches and nightclubs. Remember a good deed comes right around.Casa Araujo AlvaresLoutolim, South GoaOpen all daysFrom 9:00 am to 1:00 pmand 2:00 pm to 5:30 pm+918322750430
