To mark its 31st anniversary, the Museum of Christian Art (MoCA) has unveiled a photo exhibition, ‘Walking Across Goa with MoCA’, at Santa Monica Church, Old Goa.
ADITHI SHARMA | NT BUZZ
The Museum of Christian Art (MoCA) in Old Goa celebrates its 31st anniversary with a new exhibition, ‘Walking Across Goa with MoCA’, showcasing the state’s rich Christian heritage. On display at the Church of Santa Monica, the exhibition offers a visual journey through Goa’s churches, focusing on their architecture, artistry, and historical significance.
Founded in 1994 in Rachol, MoCA was relocated to Old Goa in 2002. The museum has played a key role in conservation, research, and public engagement, including the restoration of the Church of Santa Monica (2010-2016) and upgradation of the museum (2017-2020). It has also expanded its outreach through temporary exhibitions on art, conservation, and heritage.
Launched in 2014, MoCA’s heritage walks have grown beyond Old Goa to include villages across the state, documenting nearly 70 churches and chapels in the past three years. “Our walks not only focus on Christian art and architecture but also explore the unique traditions and the conservation efforts undertaken by the custodians of monuments in each locality,” explains the Museum Educator at MoCA, Gunjan Mitra. “The response has been very positive, with many participants returning for new walks. We ensure each site is visited only once, making every experience unique.
‘Walking Across Goa with MoCA’ came into reality by cataloguing the findings from these heritage walks. “The primary idea behind the curation of this exhibition was to help viewers understand and engage with the different architectural and artistic components that make up a church” explains Mitra. The exhibition features seven thematic panels, guiding visitors through the facades, altars, floors, pulpits, ceilings, Christian art, and special architectural highlights of Goa’s churches, while the eighth panel includes a map plotting 67 structures that MoCA has visited. “The exhibition intends to be educational and interactive,” says Mitra, adding that each panel includes detailed images and descriptions to help viewers engage with church architecture and art.
The historic Church of Santa Monica, built in 1627, is an integral part of MoCA’s anniversary celebrations. It is renowned for the miraculous ‘Weeping Cross,’ which was seen bleeding and shedding tears in 1636. “With its rich history, the Church of Santa Monica is the perfect place for exhibitions, lectures, and music performances. It helps us connect with visitors in a space that is a living part of Goa’s Christian heritage,” says Mitra. Moving beyond Goa’s conventional image, the ‘Walking Across Goa with MoCA’ exhibition showcases discoveries from a series of walks conducted by the MoCA team. “Over time, we felt the need to explore, research, and document this heritage while engaging with local communities. Our goal was to help participants appreciate it.
Most are Goa residents interested in heritage and conservation, but we also welcome visitors from outside the state. Many stay in touch, exchanging knowledge long after the walk, and several return to participate again,” says Mitra.
Since November 2020, MoCA has hosted ‘Heritage Hour’, an online lecture series covering topics from marine conservation to photo preservation. The museum also promotes local talent through events like ‘Carols on the Hill’, showcasing Goan choral groups and artisans. Also, the ‘Kids at MoCA’ programme, launched in August 2023, introduces children to Goa’s artistic and architectural heritage through workshops and storytelling sessions. Activities such as stucco wall art, azulejos tile painting, and kaavi mural painting engage young minds in preserving Goan culture.
Looking ahead, MoCA plans to establish the ‘MoCA Knowledge Centre – Library Project,’ which will be a resource hub for books, journals, research publications, and photographs on Goa’s art and heritage. “We see the museum as a space that encourages shared ownership of our cultural heritage,” says Mitra.
(‘Walking Across Goa with MoCA’ is on display at Santa Monica Church until March 15, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.)
