Chapel of St. Catherine

In front of the Church of St. Francis of Assisi there runs a narrow road that leads west to the Chapel of St. Catherine. It is of historical importance and is the site of an earlier chapel built immediately by Alfonso de Albuquerque upon conquering Goa on St. Catherine's day, November 25th 1510. On the spot stood formerly a gate through which the Portuguese entered the city of Old Goa. The Governor Jorge Cabral enlarged it in 1550. There is a stone inscription mentioning this event. On the eve of the feast of St. Catherine, the annual celebration included processions in which the Viceroys of Goa participated by tradition. In 1534 vide a papal Bull its status was elevated to that of a cathedral by Pope Paul III and it remained so until the new Se Cathedral was built. It is believed to be on the exact spot that Alfonso de Albuquerque entered the city of Old Goa in 1510. The site nearby housed the Royal Hospital founded by Alfonso de Albuquerque in 1511. It was renovated in 1952.