Siolim - The Church in Siolim

The Church in Siolim

Siolim's church is dedicated to St. Anthony of Padua. The church possesses two steeples on the frontispiece and a statue of St Anthony holding a serpent on a leash. This is a depiction of the incident which occurred during the construction of the church wherein a snake that was disrupting construction work was found caught in the cord placed in the statue's hand. In the church, the statues, paintings, and even the church bell, depict St. Anthony holding a serpent tied with a cord to commemorate this miracle.

Franciscan missionaries first built a church (the Church of Mae de Deus) at the Sonarkhett hill, wedged between Siolim and Assagao. It was located centrally to serve the spiritual needs of the new converts in the villages of Anjuna, Assagao, Siolim and Oxel. But being situated on the rising hill and probably being a kutcha structure, it did not survive many years, leaving behind the black stone cross at Sonarkhett.

The first church in Siolim was built near the site of the Mae de Deus chapel in Gaunsavaddo in 1568. (There is a plaque commemorating this fact in the chapel compound). This church was probably a kutcha structure, and it survived for merely 32 years.

In 1600, the missionaries planned for a new and larger church in another location more central to the Christians of Siolim. The realization of this project seems in grave doubt due to lack of sufficient funds. At that time, two Portuguese merchants were caught in a severe storm while sailing from Portugal. They had with them a statue of St. Anthony, and vowed that if they made to port safely, they would build a church where they landed.

It so happened that their ship entered the Chapora River and docked on the left bank near the village of Marna. It was here they met the Franciscan missionaries looking for funds. The new church was dedicated to St. Anthony, instead of Mae de Deus (the Mother of God), and completed in 1630.

The Gaunsavaddo Chapel of Mae de Deus was constructed in 1847.

Earlier, the local Christians would attend religious services at the Military chapel at Tropa or Palchovaddo, which was raised to a Church in 1971. In the sixteenth century conquest of Goa, this place was well-fortified by the Portuguese with police to ward off the Bhosle attacks. The word "tropa" which means 'military troops', still survives in the name given to Tropa parish. Its church is dedicated to Our Lady of Consolation.

In the early part of the 20th century, the ravages of time took their toll on the first church of Saint Anthony. Attempts to repair the wall and renovate the roof appeared futile. The whole structure was in danger of collapsing. The parishioners decided to build a new church on the same site. The foundation stone of the church was laid in November 1902. The consecration took place on December 28, 1907.

Three brothers from Gaunsavaddo - Santa, Ganexa and Zagre Gauns - were the first Christian converts, their descendants are Fr. Cyriaco Fernandes MSFS, Victor Santana, Dr. Cosmas and Fr. Damian Fernandes. Incidentally, there is a book written by Rev. Fr. Cyriaco Fernandes which gives a lot of information about Siolim, and Fr. Cyriaco's life in Brazil; the book is titled "Indian Apostle in Brazil" writted by Rev. Fr. Damian Fernandes.