History of Goan Catholics

No concrete evidence has been found that Christianity prevailed in Goa before the Portuguese arrived, but it is believed that St. Bartholomew, one of the twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ, brought and spread the Gospel in Konkan including Goa, just as St. Thomas had done in Kerala and Tamil Nadu in Southern India.

[1] In the 15th century, the Portuguese explored the sea route to India and Pope Nicholas V enacted the Papal bull Romanus Pontifex.

This bull granted the patronage of the propagation of the Christian faith in Asia to the Portuguese (see "Padroado") and rewarded them with a trade monopoly for newly discovered areas.

Soon missionaries of the newly founded Society of Jesus were sent to Goa, which led to the conversion of entire villages to Christianity.

[8] The onslaught of Sambhaji, along the northern territories of Goa, drove many Christians from their homelands, and most of them migrated to South Canara.

In 1843, the capital was moved to Panjim and by the mid-18th century the area under occupation by the Portuguese expanded to Goa's present day limits.

On 18 December 1961, India moved in with troops and after hostilities that lasted 36 hours, forced the Portuguese administration to surrender.

[13] During the 1970s, coastal communication increased between Bombay and Goa, after introduction of ships by the London-based trade firm Shepherd.