THE BASILICA OF BOM JESUS

THE BASILICA OF BOM JESUS : 

                                 
       

         The Basilica of Bom Jesus or Borea Jezuchi Bajilika is located in Old Goa, India, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was built on 1698.  The tomb of St. Francis Xavier has three parts, namely, the altar, the Florentine mausoleum and the silver casket.
     The basilica holds the mortal remains of St. Francis Xavier  on the third floor of the residential wing, where kept into a silver casket on December 2, 1637. This casket was made by Goan silversmiths between 1636-37. There are 32 silver plates on all four sides of the casket depicting different episodes from the life of the Saint. The silver casket is lowered for public viewing only during the public exposition which occurs for a duration of 6 weeks every 10 years.      

The Francis was appointed by Pope as His Nuncio, for the East. He heeds for India on 7th April 1541 and arrived in Goa on 6th May 1542. He visited the Bishop, who was highly pleased with Francis. But  Francis chose to be in the Royal Hospital and spent rest of his life in nursing the sick and teaching Christian doctrine. In 1542 Francis was requested to hold the rectorship of the newly established institute named College of St. Paul, for the priestly formation of local candidates.

Xavier organized missionary work on the southern tip of India with full dedication. During this time, he was able to visit the tomb of St. Thomas the Apostle in Mylapore, (Chennai) then in Portuguese India.

      In April 1552 he traveled to Sancian (Shangchuan) Island, near Canton, but died on the island on December 3rd 1552, at the age of 46 where he was alone with two companions.

Before his final resting place in the Basilica of Bom Jesus in 1624, his body was buried in three different countries. St Francis was regarded as a saint during his lifetime, and was canonized in 1662. The body, having resisted extensive decay, is now in the Basilica of Bom Jesus in Goa, 

For the first time the Body of St. Francis Xavier was exposed for public veneration in the Church of S. Paulo in an open coffin, on March 16 to 18 of 1554 soon after it was brought to Goa. On the fourth day the body was buried near the main altar. It was exhumed again after 6 years and never buried again. In 1665 the relics was taken to the Chapel, where it is present now.