https://indianpedia.org/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Igreja_de_Nossa_Senhora_das_NevesIgreja de Nossa Senhora das Neves - Revision history2026-07-31T07:43:04ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.45.4https://indianpedia.org/index.php?title=Igreja_de_Nossa_Senhora_das_Neves&diff=463694&oldid=prevAman Mehta at 21:09, 8 February 20262026-02-08T21:09:30Z<p></p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{Short description|Historical Catholic Church in Rachol, Goa}}<br />
{{italic title}}<br />
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2019}}<br />
[[File:Rachol Church.jpg|thumb|right|''Igreja de Nossa Senhora das Neves'' and the ruins of the [[Rachol Fort]].]]<br />
The '''''Igreja de Nossa Senhora das Neves'' ''' (Church of Our Lady of the Snows) is a historical Catholic church in [[Rachol]] village, [[Salcete]] sub-district, on the southern banks of the [[Zuari River|Zuari river]], in the [[South Goa district]] of [[Goa]] state, [[India]]. The church was built in the 1560's during the [[Goa Inquisition]]. It is situated in close proximity to the renowned [[Rachol Seminary]].<ref><br />
{{cite book<br />
|last=Bayly<br />
|first=Susan<br />
|title=Saints, Goddesses, and Kings: Muslims and Christians in South Indian Society, 1700–1900<br />
|date=1989<br />
|publisher=Cambridge University Press<br />
|isbn=9780521891035<br />
|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Fxqtx8SflEsC&q=The+Church+of+Our+Lady+of+Snows+Goa&pg=PA366}}<br />
</ref><ref><br />
{{cite news<br />
|title=Small, But Special<br />
|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/small-but-special/articleshow/56302566.cms<br />
|work=[[The Times of India]]<br />
|date=3 January 2017}}<br />
</ref> There is a church of the same name in the neighbouring village of [[Raia, Goa|Raia]].<br />
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== History==<br />
[[File:RACHOL FORT DIOGO RODRIGUES GOA.jpg|thumb|right|Historical portrait of the ''Igreja de Nossa Senhora das Neves'' and the Rachol Fort]]<br />
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The Colonial Portuguese [[Baroque architecture|Baroque style]] [[church (building)|church]] was originally built with mud walls and a thatched roof, alongside the [[Rachol Fort|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 AD 1565.<ref><br />
{{cite book <br />
|last=Fonseca <br />
|first=José Nicolau da |title=An historical and archaeological sketch of the city of Goa : preceded by a short statistical account of the territory of Goa <br />
|year=1994 <br />
|publisher=Asian Educational Services <br />
|isbn=81-206-0207-2 <br />
|edition=2nd reprint <br />
|location=New Delhi <br />
|oclc=43027643<br />
}}<br />
</ref> <br />
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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|southern 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. The Archbishop shot an arrow into the ground at Rachol and ordered the church to be built there. The church was considered to be the first in the [[Salcette]] ''[[concelho]]'' (Salcette was called ''Ilha de Salcette do Sul'' at that time).<ref><br />
{{cite news<br />
|last=Miranda<br />
|first=Karsten<br />
|title=Raia locals to celebrate '''Konsanchem fest''' today<br />
|url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/goa/Raia-locals-to-celebrate-Konsanchem-fest-today/articleshow/15358278.cms<br />
|work=[[The Times of India]]<br />
|date=5 August 2012}}<br />
</ref><br />
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Two historical burials took place at the altar. The first burial was for the captain of the Fort (''Capitão desta Fortaleza'') Diogo Rodrigues in AD 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 AD 1597, after which they were moved to [[Saint Paul's College, Goa]] and laid to rest in [[Old Goa]] at the Cathedral in AD 1862.{{cn|date=March 2025}}<br />
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==See also==<br />
* {{C|Colonial Goa}}<br />
* {{C|Portuguese colonial architecture in India}}<br />
* [[List of Jesuit sites]]<br />
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==References==<br />
{{Reflist}}<br />
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{{coord|15.30845|74.01047|format=dms|type:landmark_region:IN|display=title}}<br />
<br />
[[Category:Colonial Goa]]<br />
[[Category:Roman Catholic church buildings in Goa]]<br />
[[Category:Roman Catholic churches completed in 1565]]<br />
[[Category:16th-century Roman Catholic church buildings in India]]<br />
[[Category:1565 establishments in India]]<br />
[[Category:1560s establishments in Portuguese India]]<br />
[[Category:Baroque church buildings in India]]<br />
[[Category:Portuguese colonial architecture in India]]<br />
[[Category:1565 establishments in the Portuguese Empire]]<br />
[[Category:Churches in South Goa district]]</div>Aman Mehta