The church is dedicated to Bom Jesus meaning Good Jesus or Infant Jesus.

Belonging to the Jesuit order this world heritage monument's construction started on 24th November 1594 and was consecrated on 15th May 1605. h. Nine kilometers from Panaji, standing witness to a milestone event in the history of Christianity, is the world famous church of Goa, Basilica of Bom Jesus.

It is here the Sacred Relics of the body of St. Francis Xavier is kept. A co-founder of the Jesuit order the Saint while returning from Japan during his missionary work got ill and breathed his last at Sancian Island a Chinese province on 3rd Dec 1552.The body was brought to Goa on 16th March 1554 and later in 1613 transferred to the present site.

History

Construction work on the church began in 1594 and the church was consecrated in May of 1605 by the archbishop, Dom Fr. Aleixo de Menezes. This world heritage monument has emerged as a landmark in the history of Christianity. It contains the body of St. Francis Xavier, a very close friend of St. Ignatius Loyola with whom he founded the Society of Jesus, the (Jesuits). Francis Xavier died on Island while enroute to continental Chinaon (December 2, 1552).

The body of Francis Xavier was first taken to Malacca and two years later shipped back to Goa. It is said that the saint's body was as fresh as the day it was buried. The remains of the saint still attract a huge number of devotees (Christian and non-Christian alike) from all over the world, especially during the public viewing of his body every ten years (last held in 2004). The saint is said to have miraculous powers of healing.

This is one of the oldest churches in Goa, as well as in India. The floor is of marble inlaid with precious stones. Apart from the elaborate gilded altars, the interior of the church is simple.church also holds paintings of scenes taken from the life of St. Francis Xavier. The mausoleum, on the top of which is placed the silver casket with the body of St. Francis Xavier (1696), was the gift of the last of the Medicis,Cosimo III, the Grand Duke of Tuscany.

The mausoleum was designed by the 17th-century Florentine sculptor Giovanni Battista Foggini. It took ten years to complete. The casket containing his body is made of silver. The holy relics of the saint are displayed every ten years during the anniversary of the saint's death. His liturgical feast is the third of December.

On the upper level, overlooking the tomb, is the Bom Jesus Basilica Art Gallery, containing the works of the Goan surrealist painter, Dom Martin.

Author and fellow Jesuit Anthony De Mello was also from Goa and does mention the basilica in his writings.

The Basilica of Bom Jesus is more than 400 years old and is open to the public everyday. The body of St. Francis Xavier is kept in a well-decorated casket, which can be seen in the photographs below. Solemn exhibitions of the 'body' are held every ten years. Some photos taken inside the church are attached for better understanding of the art work of that time. These art works are called "murals".

Basilica of Bom Jesus-Church
Source: Goan Journey

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