Igreja de Nossa Senhora das Neves

The Igreja de Nossa Senhora das Neves (Church of Our Lady of the Snows) is a historic church in the village of Rachol, on the banks of the river Zuari, in Goa, India. The church was built in the 1560s during Goa inquisition. It is located close to the notable Rachol Seminary.[1][2] There is a church of the same name in the neighbouring village of Raia.

Igreja de Nossa Senhora das Neves and the ruins of the Rachol Fort

History
Igreja de Nossa Senhora das Neves and the Rachol Fort

The Colonial Portuguese Baroque style church was originally built with mud walls and a thatched roof, alongside the fort of Rachol. The Captain of the Rachol fortress (in Portuguese 'Capitão desta Fortaleza de Rachol') Diogo Rodrigues was appointed to carry out the work. It was completed in 1565 by destroying the temples at that site, including that of Kamakshi.[3][4] Idol of Kamakshi, referred to as "aayi" or mother in Konkani, was moved to neighbouring village of Shiroda, across the river Zuari.[5]

The church was dedicated to Nossa Senhora das Neves (Our Lady of the Snows). It has been referred to as the "Mother church" (Matriz) for the whole of South Goa and was named "Igreja de Nossa Senhora das Neves." It was the Seat of the first Archbishop of Goa, Dom Gaspar Jorge de Leão Pereira who personally visited Margão and the surrounding areas to choose the location. Dom shot an arrow into the ground at Rachol and ordered the church to be built there. The church was considered to be the first at Salcette (Salcette was called "Ilha de Salcete do Sul " at that time).[6]

Burials

Two historical burials took place at the altar. The first burial was for the captain of the Fort (Capitão desta Fortaleza) Diogo Rodrigues in 1577. The second regards the massacre of Jesuit priests and civilians that occurred in the Cuncolim Revolt in July 1583. The martyrs' bodies remained in the church until 1597, after which they were moved to Saint Paul's College, Goa and laid to rest in Old Goa at the Cathedral in 1862.

See also

References
  1. Bayly, Susan (1989). Saints, Goddesses and Kings: Muslims and Christians in South Indian Society, 1700-1900. ISBN 9780521891035.
  2. "Small, But Special". Times of India. 3 January 2017.
  3. "EVANGELIZATION OF THE VILLAGE OF RAIA". Ivosouza's Blog. 13 January 2009. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  4. Fonseca, José Nicolau da, b. (1994). An historical and archaeological sketch of the city of Goa : preceded by a short statistical account of the territory of Goa (2nd reprint ed.). New Delhi: Asian Educational Services. ISBN 81-206-0207-2. OCLC 43027643.
  5. "Shree Kamakshi Saunsthan - In Brief". www.shreekamakshisaunsthan.org. Retrieved 30 April 2022.
  6. Miranda, Karsten (5 August 2012). "Raia locals to celebrate 'Konsanchem fest' today". Times of India.

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