St. Anthony's Church

St. Anthony's Church is a historic Catholic church located in Marna, Siolim, North Goa. Built in the neo-Gothic architectural style and completed in 1907, it replaced an earlier 1600 structure funded by Portuguese sailors who survived a shipwreck. The church is globally unique for its statue of St. Anthony holding a serpent tied with a cord, commemorating a local miracle during construction. It serves as the main parish church for Siolim and remains an active religious site.

Visitors can expect to see a white-washed neo-Gothic facade featuring two towers, pointed arches, and a central porch surmounted by a statue of Christ the King. Inside, the church houses a distinctive statue of St. Anthony holding a wooden serpent tied with a cord on the frontispiece, and a silver serpent on the main altar. The site includes an attached residence and open courtyard. As an active place of worship, visitors may encounter mass services or prayer sessions.

The original church was built in 1600 by Franciscans with funding from two Portuguese merchants who vowed to build it after surviving a storm at sea while carrying a statue of St. Anthony. After serving for 300 years, the old structure was demolished in 1900. The current church's foundation stone was laid on November 15, 1901, and the building was blessed on December 28, 1907. During the original construction, a cobra reportedly harassed workers until they placed St. Anthony's statue in the niche, after which the snake was found hanging from the cord in the saint's hand.

St. Anthony is the patron saint of Siolim, and the church is the only known place in the world where he is depicted holding a snake. The feast of St. Anthony is celebrated annually on the Sunday following June 13 with special masses and processions. Locals traditionally pray to St. Anthony for rain during delayed monsoons, for finding lost articles, and for finding spouses through the 'trezena' novena.