http://holytrinitynagoa.com/ History of Nagoa Church The Christianity : From Verem-Candolim the Franciscan Religious reached Nagoa. Nagoa became a vast parish : Parra, Anjuna, Assagao, Siolim-Marna, Oxel and Saligao wer under this parish. That is why the church of Nagoa was called MATRIZ meaning the MOTHER of all the other churches. As the number of their Christians kept rising, they would be constituted as independent Parishes later on. When did Christianity reach Nagoa? According to F. X. Costa, the Church of Nagoa was established in 1560 though the writer does not mention where he found this date (Anais Franciscanos em Bardez, Nova Goa, 1926). Keeping aside the Church or "Reitoria" of Verem, the Parish of Nagao should be the second in Bardez. As stated by Paulo de Trindade however, the Church of Nagoa is the First (Conquista Espiritual do Oriente - Lisboa, 1957, Vol I); but this is an error because atleast the church of Candolim was already there in 1556 (cfr. Achilles Meersman - p. 107). The 1st church that had been built with the proceeds of begging must have been very simple, perhaps of mud and wood. In 1679 the church was rebuilt by the local "Communidades" and later on in 1893, it was further improved. Another source furnishes the following information: The Church of Nagoa was established and dedicated to the Holy Trinity when Frei Pedro de Belen (1560-63) was the Protector of Christians (Comissario Geral). To construct this church, that priest had to collect alms elsewhere in addition to the contributions of the villagers : that church was built in 1679. The church was given a new shape and it looked as the biggest among the churches of Bardez. It was renovated in 1893. In this year the Franciscan religious were not there in Nagoa or in Bardez. In 1635 Frei Paulo da Trindade, O.F.M writes : The 1st church in Bardez is that of Nagoa; ten comes that of Reis-Magos. There are many Christians : 3357 of Confession, 100 of communion and 837 children. There are four villages under this parish : Nagoa, Parra, Arpora and Saligao. At that time (September 1575 - August 1578) the Governor of Goa was Dom Diogo de Menezes. The Muslim King, Idalcao (Adil Khan) waged a war against the Portuguese; this war got the name of GORGA. The Muslims entered Bardez and tried to burn down the Church of Nagoa. That Church still looked as a chapel. The Muslim people entered the church and collected the dry coconut palms from the compound, filled the church with them and set them on fire. The church had then been already built and ready with a ceiling, etc. Though the church was engulfed in fire, it suffered no loss. The church remained as it was earlier without any vestige of fire. Since they did not succeed in burning down the small church or chapel, the muslims got on to the roof of the chapel and destroyed all the tiles. Then they went into the churchyard. They sought help of some villagers of Nagoa too to cut down the cross that stood in front of the main entrance of the church. These were the villagers who were still non-Christian. The 1st blow came from those who were enraged with Christianity. After the war, the Franciscan Missionaries started raising the Cross again. For this purpose they needed a scaffold made of trunks of areca trees and other supports. Some of the villagers also came to help them in the task. This assault had taken place in spite of peace agreement made by the Portuguese with the Muslim King of Bijapur on 22nd October, 1576. Earlier in 1543 the King of Bijapur had, though reluctantly given the Portuguese the possession of the districts of Salsette and Bardez. In August of 1654 however the army of Bijapur entered Bardez and arrived in Mapusa and another reached Tivim. IIn 1720 - Parra had then become a new Parish - there were 3593 Catholics in the Nagoa parish. The then Rector Frei Jose da Conceisao furnished this number. Frei Achilles Meersman presents the name of 8 rectors : from 1585 to 1767. The last Rector was Frei Lucas de S. Diogo (1766-67). But Leopoldo Rocha gives the name of 30 rectors. The 1st Diocesan Vicar was Caetano Rodrigues (1767). Between 1602 and 1605 the Rector was Frei Joao de S. Matias. This Rector had learned Konkani very well and it was he who translated Cardinal Belarmino's "Symbolum Fidei" (Profession of Faith) into Konkani, first in prose and later in verse. He had also written the Life of Jesus Christ under the title of Purana.
