St. Cajetan Church, Old Goa
This is the most beautiful of all the churches in Old Goa. The church of St. Cajetan, modelled after the original design of St. Peter’s church in Rome, was built in laterite blocks in the second half of the 17th century by Italian friars, with a Greek cross on plan. This church is constructed in Corinthian style, with a rectangular tower on either side atop the facade to serve as a belfry. The niches below have statues of apostles. The interior is divided into a nave ending in an apse and aisles divided by massive corinthian pillars supporting a large circular dome further crowned by a lantern-shaped dome of lesser circumference. The aisle ends with an octagonal room serving as the sacristy. On the two sides of the apse, the rice floral designs on the ribbed vault and a decorative wooden pulpit projecting from the pier are worth mentioning. The main altar, dedicated to our lady of divine providence, and the three subsidiary altars with twisted shafts on each side of the hall, having figures of the holy family, Our Lady of Piety, and other saints, including St. Cajetan, are exquisitely carved in baroque style.
