CHRONICLES OF GOAN CHURCHES, CHAPELS
The Chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Candelaria is situated along the roadside in Tollea-vaddo, opposite a lake at Naroa in Malar-Divar. Catholics of this Vaddo celebrate the feast on February 2.
ORIGIN
Initially, a small structure was erected here in 1563, which was meant to be a Prayer Room and for catechetical purposes; a year later a chapel was constructed here and it was perhaps dedicated to Our Lady of Piety. About a century later it was reconstructed in the structure we see today. The date is inscribed at the base of the image of Our Lady.
Probably in 1763 it was dedicated to Our Lady of Candelaria, when it was subject to major interventions on the initiative of Viceroy Manuel de Saldanha, Count of Ega (1758-1765). The door of the chapel was repaired by the last Portuguese Patriarch, Alvernaz on April 4, 1954.
A couple of years back, the front portion of the chapel was extended, giving more sitting space. The main door of the extended chapel is made up of fabricated iron material. On either side of the original chapel is an opening made, probably one for the choir and the other for the purpose of sacristy.
DESIGN
The chapel’s architecture appears more like that of a Jewish synagogue. It has a rectangular elongated shape that stretches from east to west; its sanctuary is round and topped by a dome. This feature is found only in two other chapels in Goa. The exterior wall is articulated by pilasters topped above the cornice balustrade by ball pinnacles. A long nave in the form of a stone shed was recently added hiding the east-facing door giving access to the rotunda. Another shed-like construction hides the small sanctuary to the west. Its interior is simple. It has windows and round oculi with scroll pediments that ornament the rotunda’s perimeter.
ALTAR
On the back wall of the Chapel was the altar with the image of the patroness, Our Lady of Candelaria. When this wall began to show cracks, another wall was constructed a few metres in front of it and the altar was relocated here, with the image of the patron. The old back wall was then repaired and till today one can see where the old chapel altar existed.
FEAST
Before the Feast Mass, the faithful have a small candle light procession in the earmarked area in front. Usually there would be a Tiatr in the evening, which the people could watch free, but it has been discontinued since last year due to insufficient funds.
(The writer is Superior at Casa Professa, Basilica of Bom Jesus in Old Goa.)
