Neglected, Se Cathedral’s iconic bell unable to toll in homage to the Pope

Panaji: Even as church bells around the world tolled as a mark of respect for Pope Francis, who died on Monday, the iconic golden bell of Goa’s mother church, the Se Cathedral in Old Goa, remained silent. The bell in the cathedral, a protected monument under the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI), is awaiting repairs.
Following the death of the Pope, the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman on Monday asked all churches and chapels to toll bells on Tuesday and Wednesday and on the day of the funeral of Pope Francis in homage and as a call for prayer for his eternal repose.
Se Cathedral's parish priest, Fr Rosario Oliveira, wrote to the ASI in Sep requesting repairs of the two main bells. “The cathedral has five bells, and all the bells need to be pealed when the relics of St Francis Xavier solemnly enter the cathedral for the Exposition,” Oliveira said in his letter to the superintending archaeologist, Goa circle, Old Goa.
On Tuesday, the ASI’s superintending archaeologist holding additional charge of Goa circle, Abhijit Ambekar, told TOI that he just learned about the non-functional bell. “I will ask my officials to visit the site and take care of whatever repairs are required,” he said.
The cathedral’s golden bell, along with the four other bells, traditionally peal during the Exposition when the relics of St Francis Xavier are taken from Basilica of Bom Jesus to Se Cathedral and back, but that too did not happen this year.
A Se Cathedral parishioner, Xavier Rodrigues, wrote a letter regarding the bell to the ASI, CM, governor, Cumbharjua MLA, and the Archdiocese. He told TOI that despite the parish priest's letter, the bell did not function during the Exposition, a significant event in the Catholic calendar.
The bell, when tolled, could be heard as far as Corlim and Divar, he said.
“Despite its historical significance and cultural importance, the golden bell has remained inoperative for a considerable period of approximately 18 months,” Rodrigues said in his letter. “The bell’s silence was particularly noticeable during the untimely demise of His Holiness Pope Francis when the traditional bell ringing to mourn the demise of the head of the Catholic Church did not take place even after the circular requiring all the churches and chapels to do so.”
“As a parishioner of Se Cathedral, I have witnessed the bell’s silence, which has not only affected the aesthetic experience of visiting the cathedral but also raised concerns about the preservation and maintenance of our national monuments,” he said in the letter. “In light of the cultural and historical significance of the golden bell, it is essential to rule out any intentional damage or tampering. I urge you to conduct a thorough inquiry into this matter, including inspecting the bell’s mechanism, reviewing maintenance records, and interviewing personnel responsible for the monument’s upkeep.”