Panaji: Goa church to install signboards for dress code

PTI

Panaji, 26 May 2012: Basilica de Bom Jesus, the most visited church in Goa which contains the relics of St Francis Xavier, has decided to install sign-boards requesting visitors to wear decent clothes.

 

Fr Savio Barretto, rector of the basilica, told PTI that the church management had a meeting with the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) on Friday, in which it was decided to install signboards requesting visitors to dress properly rather than imposing ban on scantily-clad guests.

 

The parishioner of the church had objected to the "inappropriately" dressed tourists, who usually come during the masses and there were suggestions that such tourists should not be allowed to visit the church.

 

Barretto said that imposing ban on scantily-clad tourists might offend them.

 

"First, we will install the sign-board and see," he said adding that Church would be careful in using the right words on the sign-board so that the tourists are not hurt.

 

The Church authorities, for now, have appointed few staffers who would check whether tourists are properly dressed.

 

"We don’t object to them right now," he said.

 

Two temples in Goa, Shree Manguesh temple (Mangueshi) and Mahalsa Narayani Temple (Mardol) were the first ones in the state to impose dress code.