Location :
Old Goa, 10 kms from east of Panaji
Built In : 1594
Architectural Style : A Mixture of Renaissance and Baroque Styles
When To Go : September - November
Positioning of The Church
The Professed House
The Professed House ia a two-storeyed laterite building clothed with lime
plaster to the south of main road. Attached to the Professed house is the
world famous Basilica of Bom Jesus where the Relics of St. Francis Xavier
are enshrined. It is better known as the 'Casa Professa' of the Jesuits.
Inspite of the conflict, which the Jesuits confronted, the building was
completed in 1585. A part of the building was incidentally burnt down in
1663 and was reconstructed in 1783.
The Church Of Bom Jesus
Located at Old Goa, 10 kilometres east of Panaji, the Bom Jesus Basilica is
considered to be a World Heritage site. Old Goa owns an exotic church, which
is not plastered from outside, as the lime plaster had been dismantled by an
avid Portuguese reformist in 1950. The three-storeyed facade of Basilica of
Bom Jesus, is one of the richest in Goa, boasting of elaborately carved
basalt decorations. The sacred place of worship is a creation of two priests
- Diogo de Borba and Minguel Vaz and exhibits an incredible Renaissance
architecture.
Architectural Grandeur of The Church
Walk around the mythical columns, decorated with murals and inlay work,
upto St. Francis Xavier's casket and no doubt you will experience sheer
magic in impressive craftsmanship. It is regarded as one of the best
examples of baroque architecture in India. The white marbled church houses a
carved basalt laurel wreath depicting the symbol of the Society of Jesus at
the peak.
As you will enter the rectangular nave, you can see the statue of St.
Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Society of Jesus, and below it, a small
statue of the Infant Jesus, the patron of the church, only adds to devotion.
To the left is an exceedingly well-carved wooden statue of St. Francis
Xavier, nestling beneath the choir. Once in every 10 years, the Church
allows devotees to see the well preserved body of the saint, which lies in
an airtight glass coffin placed in a silver casket crafted by a 17th
century. Opposite the memorial casting on the southern wall is a beautifully
carved wooden pulpit with a cover at its peak. The pulpit has on its three
sides the figures of Jesus, the four Evangelists - Matthew, Mark, Luke, and
John. The bottom of the pulpit depicts seven figures, flying angels as
though abiding it on their wings.
Religious Significance
It depicts the life of St Xavier's through its paintings. On the southern
wall are paintings in Italian School arranged in three rows. In the middle
row are three paintings respectively showing Xavier praying with ardour. In
the top row are displayed the three paintings of Xavier as a servant of a
knight.
In the bottom row are two paintings displaying St. Francis Xavier being
received by certain Portuguese noblemen and his interview with the King of
Bango in Japan. There are also other paintings on the remaining three sides
of the chapel, fixed in decorated wooden frames depicting the scenes from
his life and the miracles performed by him. A painting, in oil on canvas, of
ST. Francis Xavier is put on the top of the wooden door at the back of the
chapel.
How To Reach
This sacred site of worship is located just opposite the Se Cathedral in
Old Goa. This small piece of virgin land is situated on the banks of the
calm Mandovi River in east Tiswadi Taluka in Central Goa. Drive comfortably
on NH 4A, which begins as the Ribander Causeway, runs east along the Mandovi
River, through the pastoral area and continues south-east to Ponda.
