Viva damão!

A casual glance out of a window, or from higher ground, or even a view from the ground up, or any vantage point in this centuries-old city, will more often than not, be met with either the image of an equally ancient church or chapel or grotto or cross or niche.

What is outstanding about these churches and chapels are the beautiful gilded wood carvings that adorn the altars, reredos and ceilings, and the life-like statues which are also carved from wood. Though these have withstood the ultimate test of time—over 450 cycles of the southwest monsoons—they look newer than modern woodwork that has seen but just a couple of monsoons.

A typical architectural feature of Portuguese churches and standalone chapels is that they are built on an adros, a platform like the Taj Mahal’s, with a wide flight of two or three steps on its front and sides.

bom Jesus Church 

Daman became a Portuguese enclave formally on the 2nd of February, 1559 when D. Constantino de Braganza disembarked and kissed the ground of this city, which he dedicated to Our Lady of Purification whose statue looks down at the congregation from the apex of the main altar.

The church, which fell into disrepair in eighteen years, was reconstructed in 1603 as is apparent from the engravings on the façade over the lintel of the great doorway, just under the Pontifical Crown. 

The Holy See converted it into a cathedral (Sé Catedral) on 13th August, 1887 and two days later on the 15th of August, the first solemn high mass of the Diocese of Daman was celebrated here. Subsequently, it lost its status of cathedral and became the Igreja Matriz (Mother Church) of Damão.