History of the miraculous Cross at Old Goa

  The Miraculous Cross and it’s church in the Old city of Goa has an interesting history behind it. 

The old city of Goa was called the “Rome of the East”.  In this city there existed as many as 38 churches, chapels and convents. It was the capital city of the Portuguese Empire and the centre of Christianity in the East. It is understood that today only 13 churches and chapels are standing in the Old City of Goa. The City of Old Goa is a valley in between three hills. The third hill which is called ‘Boa Vista’ (Hill of Good View) houses the church of the cross of miracles (Cruz dos Milagres). Attached to it is a huge convent of the congregation of Oratorians and the recently built St. Joseph Vaz Spiritual Renewal Centre. 

According to history in the year 1619 a miracle took place on the third hill. Some shepherds who used to graze the cattle on the hills made a cross and planted it on the hill. Red flags were miraculously seen flying above Boa Vista Hill. At night rays of bright light were seen emanating from the sky and falling on the cross. Later on a crucified human being was also seen on the cross by the locals which was unwrapped in dazzling light and the body covered with wounds. At that point of time the cross which was 3 yards tall grew to 5 yards. The news of the miraculous happening grew like wild-fire. Many sick people who came to see the phenomenon were healed of their sickness. A water-spring also gushed out at the site and more miraculous healings took place. 

Canonical investigations also reportedly accepted that the cures and healings were supernatural and ordered to keep the cross in the church of Our Lady of Light (Nossa Senhora de Luz) which was at the foot of the hill and is now non-existent. From then on the devotion to the miraculous cross commenced and the feast was celebrated in the cathedral. The Augustinian monks living at Santa Monica reportedly built the shrine at the place where the miraculous cross stood and the cross was installed there. 

In 1659 when the church collapsed the cross was taken back to the Church of Our Lady of Light. In1835 when the king of Portugal suppressed all religious orders, the Oratorians residing at Cruz dos Milagres were forced to vacate the place. The miraculous cross was shifted to the Cathedral church in 1845. The revival reportedly came during the 8th exposition of the body of St. Francis Xavier in 1931. 

From 1961 Goans began to celebrate the mass on the 23rd of every month in the church of the Holy Cross on the Boa Vista hill. The dilapidated church was rebuilt and the devotion of the miraculous cross was renewed. ‘Canjie’ was served to the pilgrims in remembrance of Blessed Joseph Vaz who has now been canonized. In the year 2011 the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman planned to build and renovate the church, the Milagristas convent in order to build a Spiritual Renewal Centre. The work was carried out in phases. In the first phase the restoration of the church and the priest’s residence was completed. Phase two was building the Spiritual Centre. Phase three saw renovation of the Milagristas Convent. On 17th  November 2014 the Spiritual Renewal Centre was inaugurated and latter dedicated to St. Joseph Vaz and named as St. Joseph Vaz Spiritual Renewal Centre. In 2013 Fr. Lourenco Mascarenhas was put in charge of the renovated church. 

Latter on Archbishop Felipe Neri Ferrao appointed Fr. Lourenco Mascarenhas as rector of Cruz dos Milagres and Fr. Henry Falcao as the director of St. Joseph Vaz Spiritual Renewal Centre. At present daily religious services are held at Cruz dos Milagres church and various renewal programs, retreats, seminars, etc, are held at the Spiritual Renewal Centre. These programs are attended by people belonging to various parishes from across the state and even from the neighboring states.