© Jeannette D’Souza 2024
The ethereal world that nourishes the soul transforms the soul’s accomplishments in union with divinity thereby enveloping the entity with celestial grace and lifting its karma. This whole journey of determined faith, self denial and zealous offering realises the soul its Sainthood….such were my reflections after visiting the mausoleum of Saint Francis Xavier!
Jeannette D’Souza 7/4/2024
Welcome to Goa’s most celebrated and iconic site ‘The Basilica of Bom Jezu’, the guide uttered with passion in his voice! As the Basilica’s brilliant russet ruddy hues from laterites and the solemn basalt reflected around they created an elevated spiritual ambience under the sun. I turned over the surrounding scene to capture its unique soul of grace.
Millions if not more congregate to the Basilica every year on the feast day to pay tribute to the life of a great Saint known ubiquitously throughout Goa – St Francis Xavier! On 3rd December they celebrate in remembrance the Saint’s life, his apostleship and his death while also imploring for abounding favours.
The church to this date bears a strong testament to the benefactor’s generosity – Dom Jeronimo Mascarenhas, his cenotaph lies within the Basilica. Down the centuries the Catholic communities in Goa and its networks remained committed to their acts of charity in supporting the Basilica and thus preserving its heritage and beauty!
I was greeted once again by the tour guide Mahesh at the entrance to the Basilica, with a wide smile that resonated a spiritual aura he expressed his passionate admiration for this world heritage site and St. Francis his favourite saint, so I soon let him lead the way. There were many facts and holy beliefs that were written nowhere and yet revealed by this guide in an endearing and apostolic manner.
The guide took me to the entrance of the church as a starting point to his tour while imparting his knowledge… the Basilica was started in 1594 and thereafter was consecrated in 1605 upon completion. My guide started explaining all the details from the beautifully inscribed “IHS” on the facade (symbolising the first 3 letters of ‘Jesus’ in Greek) the Basilica’s cruciform structure within, the basalt and laterite tiles that were affixed in marvellous geometric patterns on the flooring and the spacious yet simple interiors that overlooked onto an intricately carved gold gilded altar.
The resounding question posed by St. Ignatius of Loyola and presented to St. Francis Xavier ‘What does it profit a man that he should win the world and yet loose his soul’, ….these words invariably changed the course of the life of an ambitious affluent aristocrat Francis Xavier!
Now over 4 centuries later the same words dramatically came alive at the very onset of this tour as my guide starts explaining…
I was led to a niche to pray and then the highlights of the Saint’s journey, of his faithful trust in providence and his dedicated service were all portrayed in a fervent way.
The Basilica’s white interiors are built in the Mosaico-Corinthian style and stand bereft of columns whilst focusing on the prominent central altar gilded over carved wood in a rich baroque style reminiscent of churches in Spain and Portugal.
At the heart of the single nave lies this stunning altar with a larger-than-life statue of St. Ignatius of Loyola gazing upwards to heaven and gesturing towards the sun that is depicted over a large medallion and it bears the inscription’IHS’ spiritually meaning- Jesus the salvation of humankind. This symbolical portrayal is shown to as receiving the light of the Holy Trinity from above(situated at the apex), all finely carved and gilded the symbolism trails to the ceiling with a similar pattern of the sun bearing the same inscription ‘IHS’.
A small statue of Bom(infant/good) Jesus clad in white apparel sits in the line above the main altar table, the apparel of the infant Jesus is changed on certain church event days.
The main isle flooring is laid in an attractive Italian mosaic style with russet and brown marble and is imported during constructions all the way from Italy, while the flanking side walks are laid in local basalt.
On either side of the main altar are altars of ‘Our Lady of Mercy’ and ‘St. Michael’
Stationed at the centre of the nave there is an ornately carved pulpit which depicts the 4 gospel writers, it has an intricately carved canopy and the pulpit’s stand area bears reliefs of Cherubs.
Soon guide Mahesh put forward questions and quizzed me firstly regarding the 4 birthdays the church celebrated; I knew the 3 celebrated birthdays were of Jesus, Mother Mary and St. John the Baptist, apparently St. Francis Xavier’s was the 4th birthday celebrated by the Catholic Church. Incidentally here was I before his birthday 7th of April to be given this opportunity to say with exuberant joy ‘Happy Birthday St. Francis’!
As we ambled further we approached the right side altar from the main isle where a dedicated niche altar with a sepulchre for St. Francis Xavier’s relics lain majestically. Surrounding the sepulchre were scenes depicted from the Saint’s life, it was very moving to go through the scenes especially of the saint preaching and his persecution and to understand his life of selfless giving which stands exemplary as an offering to God!
The sepulchre or mausoleum as one might say has a base of a platform raised in stone with various marble plinths and these stand decorated in exquisite floral carvings of pristine white Carrara marble imported then from Italy (it came to mind that Michael Angelo one of Italy’s greatest Renaissance artist was also fond of this same marble stone). Over this huge assembly was mounted the casket of the beloved Saint who lay in a silver glass coffin at the very pinnacle of the whole ensemble, a symbol of spiritual elevation within itself….
Mahesh continued to speak passionately about the life of St. Francis Xavier; his missionary zeal that took him to India, Japan, far eastern islands and lastly to the shores of China… spending all his life’s years in service to the poor and needy while baptising and preaching the good news!
A brief story of St. Francis- From historians to admirers, hagiographers to religious communities all have preserved vast information of the Saint’s life, his compassionate deeds, his miracles and his intrepid exemplary missionary travels!
I was informed that St. Francis was the first Jesuit priest to travel to India, he was born on 7th April 1506 into an aristocratic family in Navarre Spain in the ancient ‘Castle of Xaviers ’.
Growing into the aristocratic background and as the youngest of 5 children he was embedded in religious faith and cultural traditions with his love for adventure as witnessed from his vast missionary undertakings down the years.
In 1525 Francis left for university studies to Paris and lived there for 11 years, it was there that he came to know his colleague and dear spiritual friend and guide to be Ignatius of Loyola.
Francis’s great admiration for Ignatius of Loyola encouraged him and another fellow friend and colleague Peter Faber to confound the religious order of ‘Society of Jesus’. In fact the two friends Francis and Ignatius who came to be great missionaries in the service of God were also canonised together by Pope Gregory XV on 12 March 1622 and a huge portrait of the two saints together was displayed in the famous square of St Peter’s Basilica.
The society after its inception later absorbed 4 additional members (most of whom) traversed the world and came to be known as Jesuits… The order’s austere life taken with vows of poverty, chastity and humble service were to be witnessed in hospitals where the members nursed the sick, dressed the beds, washed floors/clothing/dishes, comforted the dying and even buried the dead.
The Portuguese king at the time King John III was keen to spread his religious fervour across the eastern continents and upon such embarking selected Francis Xavier. The arduous missionary voyage was nonetheless any easier for survivors, with the small society’s group who had taken vows of poverty, it was very strenuous and many died on board in the 13-month voyage to India.
Among its Portuguese-Indian state provinces Goa held a prominent standing, St. Francis landed in Goa on 6th May 1542, and he resided at the royal missionary hospital in Goa where he served the sick and dying. Furthermore St. Francis’s exemplary selfless offering of himself to Christian teaching, academic lecturing, catechising amongst other religious duties encouraged him onward on his mission to the southernmost tips of India, then to Japan, islands of the far east and even to the shores of China where he tragically passed away from a grave illness on 2nd December 1552.
St. Francis Xavier was a defender of the poor and stood up for the oppressed, he gave spiritual and wise counsel to those in need and even to people who vengefully opposed him. He was a very simple man who owned nothing in spite of his noble heritage, all he had were his cloak and tattered sandals and several times he found himself from extreme want yet he continued to carry on his mission in poverty. The excruciating distance being away from his homeland must have been hard and his humble bearing when faced with humongous obstacles is inspiring. His passion was to serve God unwaveringly and his desire to remain a ‘pilgrim’ while on earth in holy service even in the face of adversity, his incredible ventures for inconceivable missions even to his detriment remain extremely praiseworthy and sung to this day!
St. Francis Xavier is known as ‘Goencho Saib’ in the native language Konkani which translates ‘Lord of Goa’ and is rightfully so within the hearts of devotees and the religious from far and wide, the exposition of the saint’s relics takes place every 10 years or so when people gather to venerate the saint. Devotees and petitioners throng the place in hordes as has been through the last centuries, pilgrims keep pouring in with unwavering devotion as their reflective emotions and sentiments of faith seem to have conveyed upwards in positive affirmations!
Even centuries after the death of Goa’s beloved oldest saint he continues to live affectionately on in the memories through generations and now Goa being his final resting place brings in unison blessings in abundance to the native believers of Goa!
The miraculous tale of the preservation of the saint’s body is a reminder of a living miracle ever to be observed and witnessed by every pilgrim who visits here leaving them with an indelible faith’s impression forever.
The quaint city of Old Goa buzzes in excitement and wonder every year especially on the 3rd of December which celebrates in full traditional festivity the feast day of Saint Francis Xavier!
Continuing further on the northern side and opposite to the altar of St. Francis is the altar of the Most Blessed Sacrament, its prominence and sacred atmosphere invite many a faithful in silent reflections and divine praises. The altar of the blessed sacrament also completely gilded reflects the style from the main altar, the many intricate carvings with gold embellishments lend a sublime luminance over the prayerful, and its sacredness fills the niche yielding all subconsciously in reverence to kneel.
A sense of belonging filled my core whilst I joined the faithful from the kneelers pondering in silence…
A rosewood church organ then imported from Germany was seen in the choristers level high above accessed via spiral railings overhead, yet the instrument was under repair. My guide informed me that the only technical expert who could manage repairing the church organ had to come all the way from Kolkotta, hence the possibility of a demo on the organ was not possible. This remarkable instrument is worthwhile taking a look.
Walking further into a large open corridor a little beside the main altar I was shown many ancient religious paraphernalia, given their historical significance and how they were used once in time bygone in processional grandeur; the coffin that was used to transport the Saint’s body, the palanquin used for processions, gold embroidered vestment and a gigantic wooden lectern in rosewood which were all very remarkable.
Many stories surrounded the life and miracles of mystery performed by St. Francis, the unmissable narratives were astounding and supreme in faith….
On this hot summer’s day I felt a cool breeze sweep the floor as we stepped beyond into an open cloister courtyard, it was beautifully designed in pristine white balconies running around the whole quadrangle and housed the local clergy. A calmness exuded from this wonderful design and the tranquil green nature with a fountain at the centre were occasionally interluded with the sound of chirping birds!
At the closure guide Mahesh concluded the tour with appreciation and thanks…., a humble human had taught me much that day.
Such was the serene sacred atmosphere that pervaded those pillared corridors that as I walked out in quiet reflection over the prayerful tour of the day there were graces received!
Shops selling religious articles and prayer books lie within the Basilica’s corridor complex.
It was a worthwhile tour- to comprehend the historical, religious and cultural significance of the Basilica with the life of St. Francis Xavier narrated in colourful detail was indeed enriching. Rather a holistic spiritual experience than just visiting the site passing by, so one might consider giving time to visit this wonderful Basilica!
(Note- all images are personal and taken decades ago at a time when photography inside the Basilica was permissible, hence the quality of the old photos is grainy and textured)
7th April 2024
© Jeannette D’Souza 2024
