In front of the Basilica of Bom Jesus, there is a hill called Monte Santo. It was renamed Monte de S. Monica and Monte de Siao soon after the erection of St. Monica's. Here there was a place called llha de Fogo (Fire island) so named because the women of bad reputation and prostitutes lived there. Archbishop D. Fr. Aleixo de Menezes expelled them and purchased their houses. He decided to build a Convent for nuns and the foundation stone was laid by him on July 2,1606. Long before, this need had been felt, but the erection of the Convent was sanctioned only in 1598. The building work was completed in 1627.
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The Convent was destined not only for the nuns called daughters of St. Monica (mother of St. Augustine), but also for the widows (who wanted to dedicate themselves to the service of God) and for the protection of the ladies whose husbands were in distant lands defending the Portuguese Empire. The rules for this feminine order were compiled by D. Aleixo de Menezes on the model of those of St. Augustine. |
The King of Portugal accepted the patronage of this Convent by a letter dated March 26, 1636. Thereupon the Convent was called the Royal Convent of St. Monica. King Filipe III granted permission for 100 nuns to live in this Convent.
On the Christmas night of December 24,1636, a fire destroyed the Convent partially, but it was rebuilt by Fr. Diogo de Santa Anna who was the Administrator and the spiritual father of the nuns.
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Adjoining
to this Convent, is the Church. The façade of the Convent and the
Church is supported by three arches. The frontal of the Convent's entrance
bears the symbols of Eucharist, the Paschal Lamb and the Holy Spirit with
an inscription. The ground floor has a gate called Portaria de fora from
which the visitors were allowed to talk to the nuns. This gate opens into
the apartments called Aposentos de Porteira and Locutorio de Fora. The
door between these two apartments was called Porta de proibição.
Nobody could enter through this door unless with the written permission
of the Bishop; the transgressor incurred the penalty of excommunication
ipso facto.
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The Convent is quadrangular; it's large courtyard was called Vale de lirios and the well in the centre was called Fonte de Salvador. There were altogether eight dormitories viz., Madre de Deus with eight cells; Sant' Anna with sixteen Divino Salvador with eleven; Santo Agostinho with sixteen, Sepulcro, Belem, Senhora de Candeia and De cima. There were special dormitories for the servants viz., Dormitorio das Africanas for negro servants and Dormitorio de S. Tome for the Indians.
The church has two porticos with granite carvings representing a caravel and a dragon respectively. The interior of the Church is in Doric style while the exterior is a Tuscan-Corinthian combination. The main altar has a rich retable divided into three parts; the first one has the statue of St. Augustine with St. Thomas of Vila Nova and St. Ambrosius on either side, the second one has St. Monica flanked by St. Rita and St. Melania, the third one has the representation of Calvary with St. Peter and St. Paul on both the sides. The artistic pulpit has the sculptures of Our Lady of Piety, St. Augustine and two Agustinian bishops, it is interesting to see the cashew shaped ear rings of the angels carved on the side altars.
The Church has an image of Crucified Christ which was formerly in the choir loft and at present is placed in a tribune in the nave of the Church. It is held in great veneration because it is said that on February 8, 1636, the image opened its eyes and from its wounds blood was seen flowing. This marvel occurred again on the 12th of the same month in the presence of the viceroy and fidalgos. The Inquisitors and the Bishop also witnessed it. Its feast is celebrated in the Archdiocese of Goa on November 27.
Another event which is narrated in the Official records of the Secretariat of the Government of Goa (Livro das Monçoes 'MS' No. 13, fol 18) and attested by many, refers to Soror Maria de Jesus, daughter of a German nobleman, known in the world as Dona Maria de Crom. She died in this convent on January 2, 1683, at the age of 78, with stigmata on her hands and feet, which were examined and confirmed by the Chief physican, Dr. S. de Azavedo, other physicians, surgeons, as well as by the Inquisitors, the Chapter and others.
This Church
has three bells; the sound of the bigger one corresponds to the musical note
la; and was called Santa Cristo; That of the second bell corresponds
to do, while the third bell sounds the octave of the first.
