Old Goa, India
Basilica of Bom Jesus
A UNESCO World Heritage Site in Old Goa housing the mortal remains of St. Francis Xavier, the patron saint of missionaries.
The laterite stone facade has darkened to a deep rust-red over four centuries, and inside, the church smells of old wood and incense. It's smaller than you'd expect for a place this famous, with a single nave and a gilded main altar that catches whatever light makes it through the high windows. But people don't come for the architecture. They come for the glass-and-silver casket in the right transept that holds the body of Francis Xavier. He died in 1552 on an island off the coast of China, trying to enter the country to preach. His body was brought here decades later and remains remarkably preserved, though diminished over the centuries — a foot was sent to Rome, a hand to Japan. Every ten years the casket is opened and the body displayed, drawing millions. Even between expositions, pilgrims press their hands against the base of the monument and pray. The Jesuits built this church at the height of Portuguese Goa, and its worn grandeur still carries that weight.
Diocese: Archdiocese of Goa and Daman
Style: Portuguese Baroque
What to See
The tomb of St. Francis Xavier in the right transept is the main draw — a silver casket atop an elaborate marble and jasper mausoleum donated by the Grand Duke of Tuscany. The gilded main altar is ornate and worth studying, with carved wooden panels depicting scenes from the life of Christ. The sacristy holds paintings of the saint's life. Across the plaza, the Sé Cathedral — the largest church in Asia when it was built — makes a natural companion visit. The surrounding ruins of Old Goa's other churches and convents provide a haunting sense of a once-great Catholic city reclaimed by the tropics.
Pilgrim Notes
The basilica is free and open daily. Mass is celebrated regularly in Konkani and English. Old Goa is about ten kilometers from Panaji (Panjim), the state capital, reachable by bus, taxi, or rickshaw. The exposition of St. Francis Xavier's body occurs every ten years — the next draws enormous crowds from around the world. December 3rd, the feast of St. Francis Xavier, is celebrated with great festivity in Goa. Photography may be restricted near the tomb. Dress modestly.