Pilar Monastery: Memorial Chapel of the Society of Pilar

Memorial Chapel of the Society of Pilar
Located near the tomb of Venerable Fr. Agnelo de Souza at Pilar Monastery in Goa, this small chapel serves as a place of prayer and remembrance. At the center is a large crucifix, while portraits of clergy associated with the Society of Pilar line the upper walls.

The first portrait on the right depicts Fr Jose Mariano C Bento Martins, founder of the Society of the Missionaries of St. Francis Xavier, commonly known as the Society of Pilar. He founded the Society at Agonda on September 26, 1887, and its headquarters were transferred to Pilar in 1890.

The first portrait on the left depicts Dom António Sebastião Valente, the first Patriarch of the East Indies and Archbishop of Goa, who played an important role in the establishment of the Society and appointed Fr. Martins as its first Superior.

For a brief history of Pilar Monastery and the Society of Pilar, see this historical plaque displayed in the monastery cloister.

Copyright © 2026 by YatrikaOne. All rights reserved.