St Anthony of Padua is one of the
disciples of St Francis of Assisi. When
he was 15 years of age, he entered the
congregation of Canons Regular of St
Augustine to study and to practice piety
in the monastery at Coimbra,Portugal. In
1227 AD, St Anthony was elected Minister
Provincial of Friars living in Northern Italy.
At the age of 36 years, he breathed last on
June 13, 1231 AD.
Looking to his Goa connect, The
Chaplain of St Anthony’s Chapel, Deussua,
Fr Hermogenes Fernandes has disclosed
that many devotees have confided in
him the favours received through the
intercession of St Anthony. As per sources,
22 years after the Orlim church was built
in 1568, the Jesuits built the church of
Our Lady of Hope at Chinchinim in 1590.
Due to a lack of proper roads, in order
to get construction materials and other
amenities, the people of Chinchinim and
the surrounding areas used to cross the
river by boat. In the 22 years before the
Church was built, when some people from
Deussua embraced Christianity,they had to
cross the river by boat to attend the church
service at Orlim. As a necessity, a chapel or
church was needed. As per sources, before
the church of Chinchinim was built in 1590,
inapproximately 1580, the Jesuits built the
chapel at Deussua to meet the spiritual
needs of the community.
Due to attacks on this chapel dedicated
to St Anthony, it underwent a phase of
reconstruction in 1616. Fr Barnabe Furtado
renovated the chapel of St Anthony in 1948-
49 with a monument of Christ the King.
