Every year at sunset on Equinox (March 21 and September 22), a natural spectacle occurs at the Holy Spirit Church, Margao.
Around 6.20pm, for a few spellbinding minutes, the setting sun renders a spotlight directly on the emblem of the Holy Spirit on the main altar through the round oculus (circular window, just above the choir loft window) on the west-facing front facade of the church. Simultaneously, the two statues of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (L) and Sacred Heart of Mary (R) on the side altars are also lit by the sun rays shining through the smaller windows on the front facade.
Watch a time-lapse video done by Bhushan Verlekar in 2016
*An equinox, is commonly regarded as the moment when the plane (extended indefinitely in all directions) of Earth’s equator passes through the center of the Sun, which occurs twice each year: around 21 March and 22–23 September. In other words, it is the point at which the center of the visible Sun is directly above the Equator and the day and night are of equal length.