RACHOL SEMINARY AND CHURCH
Historical | 
Pilgrimage
Distance (From Panjim (Goa)): 36 Kms
Commonly Visited From: Holy Spirit Church, Margao
Trip Duration (From Holy Spirit Church, Margao, Including Travel): 1 Hour
Place Location: Rachol Village
Transportation Options: Cab / Auto / Rental Bike
Travel Tips: This place is usually visited from Holy Spirit Church (6 kms)
At a distance of 36 km from Panjim Kadamba Bus Stand, 31.4 km from Vasco Da Gama Railway station and 7.4 km from Margao Railway Station, Rachol Seminary is also known as the Patriarchal Seminary of Rachol situated in South Goa .
Rachol Seminary was originally built as a church by the Portuguese in 1580 and it was later a fortress and prison. It was converted into the diocesan seminary in 1762. Surrounded by the ruins of a Muslim Fort and beautiful golden rice fields, this is one of the first few seminaries on Goa. A hospital and a school for the poor along with a theological college are housed inside the seminary. The first printing press in India was setup at this seminary in 1616.
This is a working Seminary today. Today it houses the ''museum of Christian Art'' which chronicles the evolution of Christian art in Goa with interesting artifacts of the bygone era. The Seminary has a Church built in 1576 dedicated to Saint Ignatius Loyola, the founder of the Jesuit order, which remains in excellent condition. There is a uniformed statue of Saint Constantine on the richly carved and gilded main altar. According to the history, the fragments of Saint Constantine's bones were brought from Rome in 1782 and have been kept in this church along his blood drops in a small glass vial.
The Rachol Church is dedicated to Our Lady of Snows whose feast day is celebrated on the 1st Sunday of August. However the main feast day of the Rachol Church is celebrated on Jan 1st as this day is dedicated to Bom Jesus. The fair remains for a day only.
Timings: 7 AM - 6:30 PM from Mon - Sat and Sun 8 AM - 6:30 PM.
