4/5 Archis S. 2 years ago on Google
Construction
work
on
the
church
began
in
1594.
The
church
was
consecrated
in
May
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 Sancian Island, Chuandao (川島鎮), Taishan while
en
route
to
continental China on
(3
December
1552).
It
is
also
believed
that
the
body
is
of
Ven. Thotagamuwe
Sri
Rahula
Thera,
a
Sri
Lankan
Buddhist
monk.
The
body
of
Francis
Xavier
was
first
taken
to
[Portuguese
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.[4] The
remains
of
the
saint
still
attract
a
huge
number
of
tourists
(Christian
and
non-Christian
alike)
from
all
over
the
world,
especially
during
the
public
viewing
of
his
body
every
ten
years
(last
held
in
2014).
The
saint
is
said
to
have
miraculous
powers
of
healing.
This
is
one
of
the
oldest churches in Goa and
in India.
The
floor
is
of marble inlaid
with
precious
stones.
Apart
from
the
elaborate
gilded
altars,
the
interior
of
the
church
is
simple.
The
main
altar
holds
a
large
statue
of St.
Ignatius
of
Loyola,
the
founder
of
the
Society
of
Jesus
(Jesuits),
and
one
of
Francis
Xavier's
companions
whose
words
drew
him
to
a
reformed
life.
"What
does
it
profit
a
man,"
Ignatius
had
asked
Francis,
"if
he
gains
the
whole
world
and
loses
his
soul?"
The
gaze
of
the
gilded
statue
of
Ignatius
of
Loyola
is
fixed
upwards
in
awe
at
the
name
of
Jesus
(IHS)
on
the
gilded
emblem
of
the
Jesuits,
encircled
in
radiant
rays.
Over
the
emblem,
is
the Holy
Trinity -Father,
Son
and
Spirit
-
the
ultimate
muse
and
focus
of
the
pious
Christian.
The
altar
table
which
is
used
in
Holy
mass
is
gilded
and
adorned
with
the
figures
of
Christ
and
his
apostles
at
the Last
Supper,
along
with
the
words
"Hi
Mhoji
Kudd",
which
in
Konkani
means
"This
is
my
Body",
from
the Institution
Narrative.
The 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
3
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
mentions
the
basilica
in
his
writings.
The
Basilica
of
Bom
Jesus
is
more
than
408
years
old
and
is
open
to
the
public
every
day.
The
body
of
St.
Francis
Xavier
is
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
artwork
of
that
time.
These
artworks
are
called
"murals".
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