Reis Magos church to get facelift

SALIGAO: The historic Reis Magos church, next to the fort of the same name overlooking the Mandovi river, is getting a facelift, with a few repair and beautification works being taken up by various government departments, at an estimated expense of Rs 50 lakh.


Built in 1555 by the Franciscan Friars, the church was the first one to come up in Bardez taluka. With a whitewashed façade and a multi-coloured wood relief of the Three Kings, it is one of the three places in Goa that celebrates the Epiphany.

The fort nearby, which served as a prison for many years, records a large footfall after its restoration a few years ago. Being a state protected monument, the church, too, had undergone a makeover a few years back. “But, there were some long pending issues,” said parish priest Fr Orlando Marques.

The current round of works was inaugurated recently by local MLA and RDA minister, Jayesh Salgaonkar, in presence of Reis Magos sarpanch Virendra Shirodkar and panch members Kedar Naik, Shailendra Parulekar and others.

“We are proud to have this church with its beautiful steps and unique architectural design in the village of Reis Magos,” Salgaonkar said.

“Since this is an old church with a lot of historic value, we obtained approval from the church authorities before starting work,” he said, adding that the repairs to the cemetery wall and illumination will be taken up on priority and are proposed to be completed before Christmas.