The majestic edifice on the banks of the Zuari River at Sancoale is the facade of the Church of Our Lady of Health (Nossa Senhora de Saude). Built in 1606, the church got destroyed in a fire in 1834. Today, only the elegantly proportioned frontispiece with composite pilasters and decorative reliefs survives.
The Patron of Goa Saint Joseph Vaz wrote his famed ‘Letter of Bondage’ in August 1677 at this church, dedicating and surrendering himself to Mother Mary as her slave.
The erstwhile Portuguese Government had declared it a national monument on 19th March 1937. Its now maintained by the Directorate of Archives & Archaeology.
View the route on Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/3968855513