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| || The Past || Don't Miss || Festivals || When to Go || Getting There || |
| Renowned throughout the Catholic world, the 16th century Basilica of Bom Jesus (‘Good Jesus’ or ‘Infant Jesus’) has beautifully gilded altars and is ornamented with frescoes and inlay work. The Basilica of Bom Jesus was India’s first Minor Basilica, and is considered one of the finest examples of elaborate architecture in India. Basilica of Bom Jesus is a magnificent structure which incorporates white marble, and is best known for the tomb of St Francis Xavier, which it houses. The Basilica of Bom Jesus is one of the most visited pilgrimage sites around Goa. Cosimo de Medici III, Grand Duke of Tuscany, gifted the embalmed body of the saint, who died in 1552, to the church. The following year, according to his |
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wishes, his remains were transferred to Goa. It was found that the saint's
body was as fresh as the day it was buried. Today, the body lies in an airtight glass coffin positioned in a silver casket
crafted by a 17th century Florentine jeweler, and is made visible to the public every ten years. | ||
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Born in Javier, Spanish Navarre in 1506, St. Francis Xavier realized
the path of God early on in life. When he was studying in Paris the Portuguese had begun evangelization in Southern India. It
was at this time that St. Ignatius had instituted the Society of Jesus with St. Francis Xavier as one of the members. It was
decided that he be sent to India and in order to have greater authority, he was proclaimed the Apostolic Nuncio of Eastern
countries. St. Francis Xavier boarded the ship of Santiago from the port of Lisbon and reached Goa on May 06, 1541. Serving at the Holy Spirit Hospital in Goa for six months, he would go through the streets ringing a little bell and inviting the children to hear the word of God. When he had gathered a |
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considerable number, he would take them to a church to explain Catechism to them.
He then shifted his attentions to the pearl fisheries of the extreme southern coast of the peninsula devoting three years to preaching
and converting many. In his endeavor, he reached the Island of Ceylon. | ||
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The Basilica of Bom Jesus is one of the richest churches in Goa
and a renowned pilgrimage site of Christians. It's covered with marble flooring and inlaid with precious
stones. Except for the elaborately gilded altars, the interior of the church is simple. The church houses paintings of St.
Francis Xavier. In fact the Tomb of St. Francis Xavier
(1696) was the gift of the last of the Medicis, Cosimo III, the Grand Duke of Tuscany. Carved by a 17th century Florentine
sculptor, named Giovanni Batista Foggini, it took 10 years to complete. The casket containing his body is made of silver.
The holy relics of the saint are displayed every 10 years on the anniversary of his death.
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The Feast of St. Francis Xavier is held on the
3rd of December at Velha in Old Goa, which witnesses thousands of pilgrims and a special mass held here. The embalmed body
of the saint, Francis Xavier, in honor of which the festival is held, is enshrined in a silver casket, in the Basilica of
Bom Jesus built in 1605 by the Jesuits. It is exposed to public homage every 10 years and thousands of pilgrims come from all
over the world to pay their tributes to the departed saint.
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Goa is best visited in the winter, between October and March, when the weather is pleasant. December, especially, is
a good time to visit the Basilica of Bom Jesus since special ceremonies to honour St Xavier are held on December 3.
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The domestic airport at Dabolim (30 km from Panaji) has frequent
flights from Mumbai, Chennai, Delhi, Bangalore and Kochi, besides chartered flights from overseas. |
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The two railway stations- at Vasco da Gama and Margao- also have
a number of trains arriving at Goa from the rest of the country. | |
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There are bus networks which connect the state to other cities and
towns in Western and Southern India. From Panaji- or any other place in Goa, there are excellent bus connections to Old Goa.
Alternately, you can hire a car or take a taxi to visit the Basilica of Bom Jesus, including the exciting motorbike taxis. |
