St. Jerome Church

St. Jerome Church is a historic Roman Catholic parish church located in Mapusa, North Goa, originally founded by Franciscan missionaries in 1594. Dedicated to St. Jerome and also housing the shrine of Our Lady of Miracles, it features distinctive Baroque architecture with a three-storey façade and a unique rear bell tower. The present structure largely reflects 18th-century renovations and post-1838 fire repairs. It remains an active place of worship and a significant cultural landmark attracting both devotees and heritage visitors.

Visitors can expect to see a whitewashed Baroque church with a three-storey façade featuring door-balcony-window sequences and an undulating pediment. Inside, there is a wooden lath ceiling installed after the 1838 fire, a golden high altar brought from the demolished Convent of the Mother of God at Daugim, and side altars. The shrine of Our Lady of Miracles is a focal point of devotion. The church is an active parish with daily Mass services in Konkani and English.

Founded in 1594 by Franciscan priest Fr. Jeronimo do Espirito Santo, the church was expanded in 1674. It was partly destroyed by fire on April 27, 1838, and repaired in 1839. The current façade and apse date from renovations under Archbishop Friar Francisco de Assunção e Brito (1775-82). The roof was damaged during Operation Vijay. The high altar, side altars, and pulpit were salvaged from the demolished Franciscan Convent of the Mother of God at Daugim.

The church houses the shrine of Our Lady of Miracles (Milagres Saibinn), whose feast in the third week after Easter draws thousands of devotees including followers of other faiths. Our Lady of Miracles is traditionally regarded as the elder sister of the Hindu deity Lairai of Shirgao, symbolizing syncretic religious traditions in Goa. The annual Milagres Feast includes a fair with carved wooden furniture and votive offerings.