CHRONICLES OF GOAN CHURCHES, CHAPELS
The Church in the heart of Margao city is dedicated to Our Lady of Grace, and parishioners celebrate the feast on the first Sunday of February, which this year falls on February 2.
ORIGIN
The Our Lady of Grace Church in Margao was originally a chapel, called Capela Regimental ou de Batalhao, chapel of the Battalion, founded by the Portuguese Regimento de Infantaria n0 1, First Infantry Regiment, at the recommendation of Brigadier Agostinho Jose de Mota, for the Portuguese soldiers.
The foundation stone for it was laid on January 6, 1812 and the construction was completed within five months. It was dedicated to Our Lady of Grace and it came under the jurisdiction of the Holy Spirit Church. The first Mass was celebrated on May 3, 1812.
DEVELOPMENTS
In the 1930s, Fr Caetano Santana Lourenco renovated the chapel and also constructed the parochial house. The Catholics later, in appreciation for his services, placed a marble plaque with an inscription and his portrait in the chapel in 1941. The chapel was elevated to a parish in 1959 during the tenure of Fr Jose Antonio Gomes. He was the first parish priest of the church.
The foundation stone for the new church building was laid on January 28, 1973 during the tenure of Fr Joao Lopez D’ Sa and on completion, the first Mass was celebrated on June 22, 1975 by Goan Bishop of Santiago de Cabo Verde Dom Jose Colaco. There is a plaque on the right side of the church stating this fact.
CHURCH
The church has just one tower at the back, with the church bell. The parochial house is at the back. Inside are 5 biblical scenes that depict the Annunciation, the Visitation, the Nativity, Wedding feast at Cana and the Crucifixion; these were engraved during the tenure of Fr Joao Pedro Fernandes (1996-2003). They were sponsored by Marian Trust – Margao, in memory of late Maria Parras D'Cruz. In the church compound is a grotto of Our Lady of Fatima, with three seers in marble, brought from Italy and offered by F. X. Albuquerque and his wife Cristalina Fernandes, which was inaugurated by Patriarch D. Jose Alvernaz on January 22, 1955.
ALTAR
Being a modern church, it has only one altar. At its back is a huge image of the risen Jesus on a cross. To the right of the altar is the image of the patron, Our Lady of Grace, holding the child Jesus.
(The writer is Superior at Casa Professa, Basilica of Bom Jesus in Old Goa.)
