Monday, July 6, 2009
QUEPEM CHURCH - Part One (By Walter Menezes)
QUEPEM CHURCH
By: Walter Menezes
PART ONE:
DIOCESAN COMMISSION FOR SACRED ART
VOTES FOR HERITAGE
More than 183 X 2 days after the three-instalment article, Quepem Church: 183 not out! Should it be pulled down? appeared on Gomantak Times (see issues dated 8-10 May, 2008), Rev. Fr. Mario Vaz, the Parish Priest of Holy Cross Church, Quepem made public on May 24, 2009, the findings of the Diocesan Commission for Sacred Art and Heritage. A delegation of the Commission headed by Rev. Fr. Nelson Sequeira had visited the church on a fact-finding mission in the middle of November 2008 and had later submitted its report to the parish priest in January 2009. Fr. Sequeira was accompanied by conservation architect Ketan Nachinolkar, engineer Sylvester Souza and architect Jose Noronha.
But first, a brief background about the church.
The Quepem Church
The Holy Cross Church of Quepem was founded in 1825 by the Cathedral Dean Rev. Jose Paulo da Costa Pereira de Almeida. A chapel in the beginning and filial to the church of Paroda, it was made a parish by provision of 5.2.1833. After repairs the church was re-opened for the worship on 6.7.1889.
Rev. Almeida or ‘Deão’, as he is respectfully known in Quepem even today was born to Faustino da Costa Pereira de Almeida and Margarida Ignacia da Encarnação Netto in the City of Braga in Portugal. He arrived in Goa in 1779 and in 1787 shifted his residence from Old Goa to Quepem and founded a hamlet. He established, at his own expense, a public market, hospital, other facilities and the Church for the benefit of the inhabitants, as inscribed on the pyramidal structure in the churchyard. The Deão died on the 10th of January 1835 and is buried in the Se Cathedral in front of the altar of Nossa Senhora da Dores.
Over a period of time, with the faithful having increased manifold, a move to construct a new church on an adjoining plot was initiated by the then parish priest Rev. Fr. Michael Rebello. The plot in question was however ‘gifted’ by Cabido, trustees of the Deão estate, exclusively for the purpose of constructing a commercial complex. Unlike other churches in Goa, Quepem church has no assets at all and the motive behind the ‘gift’ was to generate the much-needed income for the church. Fr. Rebello’s move, therefore, ran into troubled waters.
Pulse of the People
Last year, from 22nd April to 3rd May, Fr. Vaz, in a fresh attempt, visited each and every ward of the parish to know the ‘pulse’ of the parishioners. In some kind of a referendum, there were three choices before the parishioners: a) should a new church be built at a new site? b) should the old church be demolished and a new church built in its place? and c) should the old church be saved and extensions made?
In the meantime, the GT article was creating ripples in Goa. Fr. Antonio Costa told GT (May 9, 2008): It should be renovated but the original structure, especially the façade, should be kept intact. Heritage activist Percival Noronha was up on his feet. ‘If this church goes down, it will be a big blow to heritage protection in the state,’ he said in another paper (TOI, May 11, 2008).
Margao and Two Churches
Derek Almeida, GT Editor, in a touching editorial (May 28, 2008), against the backdrop of the commencement of restoration work of Telaulim church, wrote, ‘There is something endearing about the churches that dot this tiny state of ours. The elaborate altars painted in gold, the numerous candles, the cherubs, statues, arched windows and wooden roofs are a marvel. These churches have provided material to several writers and photographers and have been the subject of numerous books.’ He further says, ‘Walk into the Holy Spirit Church in Margao and then take a trip to Grace Church, also in Margao and you will begin to appreciate the huge difference between the two.’ The editorial ends up with a message: ‘…the least we can do is think clearly before we sever our architectural links with the past.’
Report of the Commission
And now, for the ‘findings’ of the Diocesan Commission for Sacred Art and Heritage:
• The Commission found the Quepem Church of immense ‘architectural value’ and gave the opinion that the same should be preserved.
The church, by the way, was built during the Rococo period, famous for ‘the conchoidal forms sometimes changing into leaves and the leaves into flames’ (José Pereira, Professor Emeritus, Fordham University, NY, while participating in a symposium on ‘Amchem Goem’ in 2004.)
• The four-tiered altar with a cupola, carved of heavy wood and finished in gold, as also the intricate flooring, should be safeguarded.
• Of the other suggestions made by the Commission, one pertains to the reconstruction of the choir-loft. Such an exercise, the Commission felt, would increase the capacity of the church to accommodate another 150 parishioners.
Relics of the ‘barefooted friar’?
• The Commission also disclosed that in one wall of the nave they found a crypt containing the relics of an important dignitary. The inscription on the wooden lid covering the crypt having worn out, identity of this dignitary has become difficult, the Commission has said in its report.
www.palaciododeao.com throws up an interesting possibility. We are informed that ‘the Deão, Jose Paulo, arrived in Goa in 1779 along with the Archbishop, Dom Frei de Santa Catarina, famously known as the barefooted friar, who died in the Palácio do Deão and whose mortal remains are in the Church of Quepem.’
Food for thought: Could the relics be those of the Archbishop, Dom Frei de Santa Catarina?
As for the result of the ‘referendum’, majority of the parishioners ‘voted’ that the old church should be saved and extensions made.
Percival Noronha and other heritage activists can heave a sigh of relief!
1. The main altar
2. The pelican above an arch in the nave
3. The intricate flooring
4. The central arch
5. The grave of Deão inside Se Cathedral, Old Goa
Pics: by Dale Menezes
END OF PART ONE
(The above article appeared on Gomantak Times, Goa on 3rd and 4th July, 2009)
http://waltermenezes.blogspot.com/2009/07/quepem-church-part-one.html
>
http://www.goa-world.com/GOA/music/live.htm
QUEPEM CHURCH - Part Two (By Walter Menezes)
QUEPEM CHURCH
By: Walter Menezes
PART TWO:
A new plan for Quepem Church:
HOW THE OLD CAN ‘C0-EXIST’ WITH THE NEW
Yesterday we read about the ‘findings’ of the Diocesan Commission for Sacred Art and Heritage (DCSAH) regarding Quepem Church, details of which were made public by the Parish Priest, Fr. Mario Vaz in the second half of May, 2009.
While heritage activists all over Goa may have heaved a sigh of relief, parishioners of the church were not upbeat although a majority of them had ‘voted’ that the old church should be saved and extensions made in an ‘exercise’ conducted by the parish priest in the last week of April 2008.
The suggestion of the Commission that the existing choir-loft be repaired to accommodate another 150 parishioners did not strike the right chord in the minds of the faithful. This writer who spoke to a cross-section of parishioners found this oft-repeated question being asked, ‘Is the choir-loft the only solution to increase the capacity of the church?’
The young architect
Parishioners of Quepem Church need not lose hope. Even before DCSAH could inspect the church in the month of November 2008, Ivor Gomes, a young architect from Quepem, was already spending hours surfing the net and leafing through churches-related journals. A Book of World Architecture showcasing the glorified structures of ancient, classical, medieval and other periods was his constant companion.
Struck by the heritage bug, Ivor is all praise for the magnificent churches of Goa that have withstood the test of time. When asked what was so ‘lasting’ about them, he summed it up in a few words, ‘Lime theory lasts longer than concrete theory!’
Working on a 1:500 scale survey plan sourced from the survey department, Ivor began designing a plan which would not only save the ‘heritage structure’ but at the same time increase the capacity of the church by about 500. After the drawings were complete, he worked tirelessly to prepare the 3D Model of the church using AUTO CAD, so that the common man could see how the church would look from all angles.
Ivor’s result is a stunning combination of how the old can co-exist with the new! In the process, the young architect has not only been able to increase the capacity of the church to meet the needs of a large gathering on a Sunday service, he has also incorporated two new bell-towers and additional façades to enhance the aesthetic look of the church.
The ‘feel of a cathedral’
Quepem Church was originally a chapel dedicated to Holy Cross and catered to the religious needs of the hamlet founded by ‘Deão’. The altar dedicated to Holy Cross still occupies a place of pride inside. The chapel was subsequently ‘converted’ into a church, but unlike most churches in Goa, the ‘transept’ was missing.
‘The survey plan gave me enough ‘space’ to plan a ‘transept’ which in no way harmed the nave of the church. This way the church will retain its heritage part while making the extension possible,’ explained Ivor. Only the copelmar (sanctuary) housing the main wooden altar dedicated to Our Lady of Piety will have to be demolished. ‘This altar will then move further by about 12 meters from the imposing ‘central arch’ into an opening in the wall of the transept,’ he added. Quepem Church, like the other churches in Goa, will then acquire the shape of a cross to symbolize the crucifix.
By introducing two bell-towers on either arm of the transept and the additional façades, the young architect has succeeded in giving the church the ‘feel of a cathedral’. ‘But they are there with a purpose. The way to the balconies on either side of the transept will be through these bell-towers. And the new façades will compliment the existing one!’ Ivor elaborated. With the stairs making access to the roof easy, these bell-towers would also make maintenance and other functions effortless.
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
That is not all. He plans to convert the existing sacristy into a sacred place for the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. ‘The setting is perfect. There is an old altar against a wall which has a large antique painting showing Jesus on the cross and (I think) St. John and Mother Mary on either side. This wall-painting, and others in the sacristy, will have to be restored.’ Ivor said but is quick to add, ‘Let this plan be only the starting point, some kind of a diving-board to take the plunge.’
He knows that there will be changes and modifications. The views of the parishioners and those of the DCSAH will have to be taken into account. But like so many parishioners, Ivor Gomes is of the firm opinion that the ‘process’ which began last year should come to its logical conclusion and not be indefinitely ‘shelved’.
It is now time for the Diocesan Commission for Sacred Art and Heritage to ‘rise’ to the occasion and show the world that the ‘old can co-exist with the new’!
FACT FILE:
Seating capacity after construction of transept with balconies and repairs of choir-loft (conservative figures)
Nave
200
Choir-loft
125
Transept with balconies
475
TOTAL CAPACITY
800
Pics:
1. Plan of existing church
2. Plan of extension with dimensions
3. Sitting arrangement in extension
4. The additional balconies
5. The ‘old and the new’
6. Final look, NW top
7. Final look, NE view
8. The wall painting in sacristy (Pic: by Dale Menezes)
9. Ivor Gomes, architect
(The above article appeared on Gomantak Times, Goa on 3rd and 4th July, 2009)
Kindly send your valuable suggestions to Quepem’s young architect,
Ivor Gomes. His email address is: ivor7080@yahoo.com
END OF PART TWO
http://waltermenezes.blogspot.com/2009/07/quepem-church-part-two.html
>
http://www.goa-world.com/GOA/music/live.htm
By: Walter Menezes
PART TWO:
A new plan for Quepem Church:
HOW THE OLD CAN ‘C0-EXIST’ WITH THE NEW
Yesterday we read about the ‘findings’ of the Diocesan Commission for Sacred Art and Heritage (DCSAH) regarding Quepem Church, details of which were made public by the Parish Priest, Fr. Mario Vaz in the second half of May, 2009.
While heritage activists all over Goa may have heaved a sigh of relief, parishioners of the church were not upbeat although a majority of them had ‘voted’ that the old church should be saved and extensions made in an ‘exercise’ conducted by the parish priest in the last week of April 2008.
The suggestion of the Commission that the existing choir-loft be repaired to accommodate another 150 parishioners did not strike the right chord in the minds of the faithful. This writer who spoke to a cross-section of parishioners found this oft-repeated question being asked, ‘Is the choir-loft the only solution to increase the capacity of the church?’
The young architect
Parishioners of Quepem Church need not lose hope. Even before DCSAH could inspect the church in the month of November 2008, Ivor Gomes, a young architect from Quepem, was already spending hours surfing the net and leafing through churches-related journals. A Book of World Architecture showcasing the glorified structures of ancient, classical, medieval and other periods was his constant companion.
Struck by the heritage bug, Ivor is all praise for the magnificent churches of Goa that have withstood the test of time. When asked what was so ‘lasting’ about them, he summed it up in a few words, ‘Lime theory lasts longer than concrete theory!’
Working on a 1:500 scale survey plan sourced from the survey department, Ivor began designing a plan which would not only save the ‘heritage structure’ but at the same time increase the capacity of the church by about 500. After the drawings were complete, he worked tirelessly to prepare the 3D Model of the church using AUTO CAD, so that the common man could see how the church would look from all angles.
Ivor’s result is a stunning combination of how the old can co-exist with the new! In the process, the young architect has not only been able to increase the capacity of the church to meet the needs of a large gathering on a Sunday service, he has also incorporated two new bell-towers and additional façades to enhance the aesthetic look of the church.
The ‘feel of a cathedral’
Quepem Church was originally a chapel dedicated to Holy Cross and catered to the religious needs of the hamlet founded by ‘Deão’. The altar dedicated to Holy Cross still occupies a place of pride inside. The chapel was subsequently ‘converted’ into a church, but unlike most churches in Goa, the ‘transept’ was missing.
‘The survey plan gave me enough ‘space’ to plan a ‘transept’ which in no way harmed the nave of the church. This way the church will retain its heritage part while making the extension possible,’ explained Ivor. Only the copelmar (sanctuary) housing the main wooden altar dedicated to Our Lady of Piety will have to be demolished. ‘This altar will then move further by about 12 meters from the imposing ‘central arch’ into an opening in the wall of the transept,’ he added. Quepem Church, like the other churches in Goa, will then acquire the shape of a cross to symbolize the crucifix.
By introducing two bell-towers on either arm of the transept and the additional façades, the young architect has succeeded in giving the church the ‘feel of a cathedral’. ‘But they are there with a purpose. The way to the balconies on either side of the transept will be through these bell-towers. And the new façades will compliment the existing one!’ Ivor elaborated. With the stairs making access to the roof easy, these bell-towers would also make maintenance and other functions effortless.
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament
That is not all. He plans to convert the existing sacristy into a sacred place for the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. ‘The setting is perfect. There is an old altar against a wall which has a large antique painting showing Jesus on the cross and (I think) St. John and Mother Mary on either side. This wall-painting, and others in the sacristy, will have to be restored.’ Ivor said but is quick to add, ‘Let this plan be only the starting point, some kind of a diving-board to take the plunge.’
He knows that there will be changes and modifications. The views of the parishioners and those of the DCSAH will have to be taken into account. But like so many parishioners, Ivor Gomes is of the firm opinion that the ‘process’ which began last year should come to its logical conclusion and not be indefinitely ‘shelved’.
It is now time for the Diocesan Commission for Sacred Art and Heritage to ‘rise’ to the occasion and show the world that the ‘old can co-exist with the new’!
FACT FILE:
Seating capacity after construction of transept with balconies and repairs of choir-loft (conservative figures)
Nave
200
Choir-loft
125
Transept with balconies
475
TOTAL CAPACITY
800
Pics:
1. Plan of existing church
2. Plan of extension with dimensions
3. Sitting arrangement in extension
4. The additional balconies
5. The ‘old and the new’
6. Final look, NW top
7. Final look, NE view
8. The wall painting in sacristy (Pic: by Dale Menezes)
9. Ivor Gomes, architect
(The above article appeared on Gomantak Times, Goa on 3rd and 4th July, 2009)
Kindly send your valuable suggestions to Quepem’s young architect,
Ivor Gomes. His email address is: ivor7080@yahoo.com
END OF PART TWO
http://waltermenezes.blogspot.com/2009/07/quepem-church-part-two.html
>
http://www.goa-world.com/GOA/music/live.htm
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