GOA, ARCHDIOCESE of. — It is situated on the western coast of the Indian Peninsula. The diocese of G. and Damão, in addition to the Portuguese territory of the State of India (G., Damão and Diu), includes the district of Ratnagiri, the States of Sawantwadi and Sangly, and the Collectorships of Belgaum and North Canara, belonging to the Indian Union, with a total area of more than 3,400 sq. km. (Portuguese territory) and a population of 1,594,220 inhabitants, of whom 355,880 were Catholics, according to the 1939 census.
The languages spoken are Konkani, Marathi, Hindustani, Kannada, and Gujarati, in addition to Portuguese and English, generally spoken by the educated classes.
Although traces of Christianity were not lacking at G. before the arrival of the Portuguese, its true Catholic history begins with their arrival in 1498. In 1510, Viceroy Albuquerque chose G. as the base of the new Eastern Empire, and the wealthy and cosmopolitan G. became its political and religious capital. Evangelization began immediately through the work of the Franciscans, Dominicans, and Augustinians. In the Consistory of 31 January 1533, Clement VII detached the Church of G. from the diocese of Funchal and erected the diocese of G., with jurisdiction over the whole of the East, from the Cape of Good Hope to China and Japan. But the bull of erection, Aequum reputamus, was promulgated the following year by Paul III. By this bull, the Holy See granted the Portuguese sovereigns the right of patronage over the bishopric of G. and over all the benefices of the diocese. In the course of history, this gave rise to not a few conflicts between the Holy See and Portugal, and also to the so-called Goan schism, that is, opposition to the papal decrees on the part of certain priests who, together with their Ordinary, believed that the restriction of the right of patronage, without the consent of the king of Portugal, was invalid.
In 1542, St Francis Xavier arrived in G. with the Jesuits. The incorrupt body of the Saint is still preserved in the Basilica of Bom Jesus, in the ancient capital, the Old City (Velha Cidade). G. became a metropolitan see in 1557 (bull Eisi sancta). In 1886, Leo XIII (bull Humanae salutis auctor) granted its archbishop the title of Patriarch of the East Indies. Following the agreement between the Holy See and Portugal concluded in 1928, the diocese of Damão was united to that of G. Since 1 May 1928, it has also held the title of Archbishop of Cranganor.
Carmo da Silva