Church of Mae de Deus (Saligao)

Church of Mae de Deus

(Saligao)

Mae de Deus Church

Stark, stern and yet with a glamorous charm all its own, the Mae de Deus or Mother of God Church is a breath-taking site. With its Gothic spires and pristine white walls, it reminds one of a fairy-tale castle. Situated amidst picturesque surroundings of the typical Goan countryside, this Church at Saligao, which is situated in the Bardez taluka, was built in 1873. It is amongst the finest in the Gothic style and is attractively illuminated at night.

View at night

Claim to fame : It is the finest example of Neo-Gothic architecture in Goa. It houses the miraculous statue of Mae de Deus (Mother of God) which was brought from the ruins of the convent of Mae de Deus at Old Goa.

History, Construction and Architecture

The church dedicated to the Mother of God or Our Lady came to be built at Bardez in the 19th Century. Its foundation stone was laid on 7th February 1867 and the Saligao Church was inaugurated on November 26, 1873.

Inside the Church

The Church building is stunningly distinctive with its jutting spires, each crowned with a cross. It has buttresses supporting its exterior walls and belfry. The courtyard of the Church contains another statue of the Mae de Deus, this one made of black stone.

Made possible by the endeavours of the faithful parishioners of Saligao and a singularly beautiful monument for the ages, do stop by this church as you pass it on the Chogm road from Panaji, if only to take a few pictures of its fantastical architecture.

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