Description:
The church in Old Goa is dedicated to the original builder of this church, the origin of which can be traced back to 1517. A church consecrated to the Holy Ghost was built in 1521 and was later pulled down and the present church was built on the same spot in 1661 retaining only the entrance of the earlier church. The church faces west and has a nave with three chapels on sides, a choir, two altars in the transept and a main altar.
The exterior of the Church is of the Tuscan order while the main entrance is in Manuline style. The main altar is Baroque with Corinthian features. The internal buttress walls, separating the chapels and supporting the gallery on top, have frescoes showing intricate floral designs. There is a statue of our lady of miracles brought from Jaffna in Sri Lanka. In the main altar is a large statue of St. Francis of Assisi and an equally large statue of Jesus on the cross. Beneath the two figures are inscribed the three vows of the Saint - poverty, humility and obedience. There are many frescoes showing floral decoration in the main altar.
