Taleigao’s St. Michael Church celebrates 475 years of the journey of faith

For the 1300 plus Catholic families of Taleigao, it is a momentous occasion to praise the Almighty. It is a celebration of faith, as the parishioners walk a new journey celebrating 475 years of their historic God’s temple dedicated to St. Michael Archangel. On 25^th November 1510, the Portuguese General Afonso de Albuquerque wrested Goa from the Sultan of Bijapur and established themselves in the Ilhas of then Estado da India Portuguesa (Portuguese Goa) to make it a trading centre for spices and horses with the Middle East and with Rome. Jesus words “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation” (Mk 16:15) propelled the Dominicans friars to set foot on Indian Soil, as chaplains of the fleet of Albuquerque’s ships.

Thereafter the seeds of Christian faith were sowed by the Order of Preachers led by the Franciscans (1517), followed by the Jesuits (1542), Dominicans (1548), Augustinians (1572), Thatines (1640), Order of St. John (1681), and the Carmelites (1700), and other preachers. In 1534, the Archdiocese of Goa was established. The Dominicans founded four Churches dedicated to St. Michael in Anjuna (1613), Taleigao (1544), Orlim (1568), and Nossa Senhora do Rosario (before 1543) at Old Goa.

The Taleigao Church, which was founded during the tenure of Bishop Joao de Albuquerque, Order of Friars Minor, has six altars. The main altar which is situated in the capela-mor is dedicated to Blessed Sacrament. The statue of St. Michael Archangel is venerated in the niche at the top, where the Holy Sacrament is exposed after the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Maundy Thursday. The tabernacle of the Blessed Sacrament is placed in the centre of the main altar.

There are two collateral altars on the either side of the Eucharistic altar: the one on the left is dedicated to Nossa Senhora do Rosario, and to the right is the altar of Jesus Crucified. There are another two altars: one to the left has a panel dedicated to the Holy Souls and to the right is the statue of Our Lady with Infant Jesus with a book in his hand and a smaller statue at the bottom with Jesus.

At the main entrance, to the right is the altar dedicated to Sacred Heart of Jesus with Sacred Heart of Mary and Saint Joseph and Saint Augustine on both the sides. In the midway, to the right is the altar dedicated to Our Lady of Fatima, which was erected in 1951. Another remarkable piece in the church is an elaborately carved pulpit. The frontispiece of the church has a Holy Spirit in high relief. In the church compound, to the left, is as statue of Cristo Rei, which was erected in 1967. There are more than 12 chapels affiliated to the church. The old ones are Nossa Senhora da Piedade erected in November 1846 in Eugenio ward, and Nossa Senhora de Lourdes founded on 1891 at Odxel, and the Capela de San Francisco Xavier de Taleigao at Kerant junction built in 1928.

The Dominicans resided at the Church from 1548. Fr. Diogo Madeira served as the parish priest in 1625. From 1776, the Church was handed over to the Diocesan Clergy, and Fr. Cristovao Lobo took over at the parish priest, who was a native of St. Inez. In 1972, the church underwent major restoration work financed by Mr. Arthur Viegas, for which the Pope Paul VI honoured him with ‘Medalha de Proeclesia Pontificie’. Fr. Ventura Lourenco (1900-1997) and Fr. Aquilo Gomes (2004-2011) the then parish priest renovated the cemetery and Church. The Chapel of Blessed Sacrament was annexed in 2004, when Fr. Carmo Martins was the parish priest in (1997-2004). Major renovation took place during the tenure of Fr. Conceicao D’Silva (2011-2018): the rafters were replaced, probably after more than 200 years, and walls were recoated and painted in a new style, and parochial house and church office were renovated and retreats were started on Friday.

Apart from the other feasts in the Liturgical calendar, the parish celebrates with pomp and gaiety the Novidade and the feast of patron saint. The parishioners ceremoniously harvest the first sheaves of rice on the occasion of Festa da Espiga on 21^st August, prior to the other villages in Ilhas. This 4-day festival culminates with thanksgiving mass at Se Cathedral, Old Goa, on 24^th after which the blessed beaten rice is offered to Governor at Cabo and Archbishop at Altinho. This privilege was accorded by Portuguese as a reward to the help offered by the Taleigao villagers to the starving fleet in Mandovi during the monsoon of 1510. The feast of St. Michael is celebrated on 29^th September or on the nearest Sunday after 29^th.

The parish has contributed to the promotion of faith in Lord’s vineyard through the following son-of-soil priests. They are ex-missionary of Timor Fr. Joao Roque Fagundo Martins (1924-1989), Fr. Joao Antonio Conceisao Luis, Fr. Adolfo Joviano Castro Viegas (1922-2012), Fr. Lourenco Manuel Cardoso, Fr. Cristovao de Melo, Fr. Henriques Gabriel Falcao, presently the Director of St. Joseph Vaz Spiritual Renewal Centre at Cruz dos Milagres.

Commemoration of 475 years of faith is a celebration of God’s providential care and an expression of gratitude to the Almighty and to our ancestors for having left behind a heritage of faith. There are many associations in the parish, including St Vincente de Paul, which promotes the mission of nurturing and delivering new life to the poor and unfortunate ones. The Catechetical Association set aflame faith, generous love and unbounding hope in the catechism children. The prayer group, the youth group, the Eucharistic ministers, Confraria, and Fabrica celebrate the event as a faith community based on the theme: Bhavart thiraum-ya, Ekchar vaddaum-ya (Let us  deepen our faith, and strengthen our fellowship).

On this occasion a logo has been installed in front of the Church which was blessed by the Archbishop Most Rev. Fr. Filipe Neri Ferrao after celebrating a high mass on 4^th May 2019. The parishioners pray and seek blessing on our priests who worked here in the past, and the present parish priest Fr. Cipriano da Silva and his assistant Fr. Caitan D’Souza, who have been instrument of God’s love and beacon of faith for the flock.