CHRONICLES OF GOAN CHURCHES
The Church at Orlim is dedicated to St Michael, the Archangel and the parishioners celebrate the feast on the second Sunday of October, which falls on October 13 this year.
THE ORIGIN
The first church, of mud walls with a thatched roof, was constructed in Orlim, on the land given by the new converts, with the financial contributions from the locals in 1568. It was dedicated to St Michael, the archangel. It was blessed by archbishop Dom Jorge Temudo (1568-1571), the second Dominican Archbishop. The first Eucharist was celebrated here on May 8 of the same year.
The Muslims, during the invasion of Salcette, burnt the church twice, once in 1571 and then in 1579. The church was burnt again in 1582 and the present church was constructed in 1590.
The first Jesuit parish priest of the church was Fr Joao Dias and the last was Fr Antonio Pereira (1759). When the Jesuits were expelled from Goa by the Portuguese, the diocese took over its administration. The church was handed over to the Dominicans in 2017.
The parochial house, a mud structure, was constructed in 1569. After it was burnt, a new one was constructed with a floor on top. When it was in a dilapidated condition, Fr Aleixo Antonio Fernandes (1890-1900) brought it down and constructed a new one. It was repaired during the tenure of Fr Planton Faria.
The church has only one tower, which has the bell. On the front façade of the church is the image of the patron.
THE ALTAR
On the middle altar is the image of St Michael, the archangel with an arrow in the hand piercing the devil. To the right is the image of St Luke and St John, to the left is the image of St Mathew and St Mark. Below the altar is the scene of the Last Supper, which was offered by Fr Dulcedonio Lucas.
There are two other altars besides the main one, the one to the left has a Calvary scene, below is the image of Our Lady of Piety, St Francis Xavier and below it of the child Jesus. The right altar has the image of Our Lady of Help and below it is the image of St Anne. Besides these are the altars of the Sacred Heart, Jesus and Mary.
(The writer is Superior at Casa Professa, Basilica of Bom Jesus in Old Goa.)
