One of the oldest churches in Goa, as well as in India, The Basilica of Bom Jesus or Borea Jezuchi Bajilika (Portuguese: BasÃlica do Bom Jesus) is located in old Goa and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The basilica holds the mortal remains of St. Francis Xavier.
Amalgamation of architecture at its best
Basilica of Bom Jesus holds the mortal remains of St. Francis Xavier (Photo: Sushil Jadhav)
The facade has elements of Doric, Ionic and Corinthian designs and the pillars and details are carved from basalt. The huge and ornate gilded reredos that stretches from floor to ceiling behind the altar is beautiful.
Basilica of Bom Jesus – Inside the Church (Photo: Sushil Jadhav)
The floor is of marble inlaid with precious stones. Apart from the elaborate gilded altars, the interior of the church is simple. The exterior walls of the Basilica are not plastered. The construction of the Basilica was completed in the year 1605. The church also holds paintings of scenes taken from the life of St. Francis Xavier. A Prominent design feature of the facade is the three letters “IHS” which is the abbreviation of Jesus in Greek and the Jesuit emblem
Mausoleum of St Francis Xavier (Photo: Soham Pablo)
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, CosimoIII, and the Grand Duke of Tuscany. It was designed by the 17th-century Florentine sculptor Giovanni Battista Foggini& took ten years to complete. The holy relics of the saint are displayed every ten years during the anniversary of the saint’s death.
Reaching there
Located in old Goa, 10 kms away from Panajii can be easily accessed by local transport from anywhere in Goa.
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