The year was 1290 . A crowd had gathered around a clearing, where broken down pillars marked the presence of an ancient temple, now long gone. A young boy, just 14 years old, leaned against one of those pillars, deep in thought. Then, he began speaking, and the crowd fell silent, listening to his every word. He spoke without any notes, translating the Bhagavat Gita, from Sanskrit, which only the pundits knew, to the language everyone in the village knew and spoke – a variety of Prakrit which developed into the Marathi language. Even as he spoke, one of the men in the audience realized how momentous this event was, and how important this composition would be. He began writing down the words the young boy spoke, and this composition was named by its author and composer, the Bhavartha Deepika – the enlightening meaning (of the Bhagavat Gita). Now, the ancient, holy text, was no longer restricted to the pundits, but accessible to all, understood easily by them, composed as it was, in their...
The Decennial Exposition of St. Francis Xavier is being held in Goa till the 4th of Jan, 2015. This article on the Saint, and the churches of Goa appeared in the November 2014 issue of Being Woman Magazine.
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| St. Francis Xavier |
He was born
in Spain, and during his lifetime, travelled across Europe and Asia, spreading
his faith. Death would normally put an end to such a life of travel, but after
his passing, his remains travelled once again, re-tracing the route he had
taken in life. More than five centuries later, he still arouses faith, drawing
from far and wide, the devout and curious, across religions. Such is the
inspiring story of St. Francis Xavier, the first Jesuit Missionary.
St. Francis
Xavier arrived
in Goa in 1542, when he was 36 years old. He travelled extensively across Goa
and Southern India, spreading the word of God. His mission took him further
across the seas, to Indonesia and Japan, but he passed away on the 3rd
of December 1552, before he could enter mainland China. He was first buried at
Shangchuan Island, Guangdong, China, and his remains were later moved to
Portuguese Malacca. A year later, they were shipped to Goa, where he rests in a
silver casket at the Basilica of Bom Jesus.
The
Basilica of Bom Jesus is easily one of the most beautiful churches in Goa. It is certainly
among the most visited, and the relics of St. Francis Xavier assuredly are the
biggest attraction! Most people, on entering the church, make a beeline for the
mausoleum and the silver casket which hold the relics. However, there is a lot
more to see and appreciate here.
The rust
red exterior of the Basilica sets it apart from all the other churches of Old
Goa. Construction on the structure began in 1594, but it was only in 1605 that
the church was consecrated. The imposing façade has the letters IHS carved on
it, depicting the name of Jesus in the Greek script. The church itself is
dedicated to the Infant Jesus, for whom it is named. It was raised to the
status of a minor Basilica in 1946.
One of the
first things that grabs our attention when we enter the church is an
elaborately carved statue of St. Francis Xavier. On his arms hang marigold
garlands, a testament to how religions have adapted and managed to sustain
themselves over the centuries!
Inside, the
main altar has a statuette of the Infant Jesus, and above it, a figure of
Ignatius Loyola, the founder of the order of the Jesuits. He gazes at a
medallion inscribed with the letters IHS, over which are depicted the Holy
Trinity – the Father, The Son, and The Holy Ghost.
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| The Father, The Son, and The Holy Ghost |
On either
side are decorated altars, one dedicated to Our Lady of Hope, and the other to
St. Michael. There is also an altar to St. Anthony, located beneath the choir.
An
elaborately carved and canopied pulpit is another attention grabbing feature.
Among the carvings are Jesus, the Four Evangelists, and the Four Doctors of the
church, but most interesting are seven figures carved below, as if supporting
the structure. I wonder who they are inspired by!
The Saint’s
relics are venerated across religions, and people come from far and wide for
just one glimpse. The faith and devotion arises, in part, due to the miracle
that in spite of the passage of centuries, and the repeated movement of the
relics across the continent, they have not succumbed to the ravages of time.
Besides, the relics are said to have miraculous powers of healing, and
thousands of people turn up for a chance to touch the relics when they are
displayed to the public at an exposition held once every ten years.
The
Sé Cathedral
stands across the road from the Basilica of Bom Jesus, its white exterior a
sharp contrast to the rust red of the Basilica. It was built to commemorate the
victory of the Portuguese Army led by Alfonso de Albuquerque over the Muslims,
which led to the capture of Goa. This victory is said to have been achieved on
the feast day of Saint Catherine, and the church is dedicated to her.
The present
church stands on the remains of an older one, and was commissioned in 1562.
Though work was completed in 1610, it took another thirty years for the church
to be consecrated. There were originally two towers, but the southern one
collapsed in 1776, and was never rebuilt, giving the cathedral a slightly
asymmetrical look!
Inside, the
main chapel is dedicated to St. Catherine, and all around are depicted scenes
of her martyrdom. Apart from this main altar, there are eight chapels and six
smaller altars, each of them with intricate and detailed work, and ancient
paintings depicting the life of the saint as well as scenes from the Bible.
The Sé Cathedral
also houses a baptismal font, made in 1532, believed to have been used by St.
Francis Xavier to baptize thousands of Goan converts. The font is one of the
few things which still remain from the original church which first stood here.
And it is here that the sacred relics of the saint will be on display for the
general public during the exposition.
Old Goa’s
churches are World Heritage Sites, and most people only know of these two. It
is said that the Portuguese, at the height of their glory, built 60 churches,
of which, today, only 7 remain. All seven are World Heritage Sites, and located
within walking distance of each other.
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| Inside the Church of St. Francis of Assisi |
The Church
and Convent of St. Francis of Assisi are right behind the Sé Cathedral.
This Church, unlike the other two, is simpler, but filled with ancient
paintings, while the convent now houses a museum, run by the Archaeological
Society of India. Within the same complex is the erstwhile Palace of the
Archbishop, which also houses a museum exhibiting some ancient
artifacts from the churches.
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| Inside the Palace of the Archbishop, now a museum |
A narrow
lane from here leads to the Chapel of St. Catherine, which is one
of the oldest structures, dating back to 1510. This church is no longer in use,
and thus, in a sad state of neglect.
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| Chapel of St. Catherine |
A short
walk away is the Church of St. Cajetan, built in 1661, by the
Italian Friars of the order of Theatines, and modeled on the design of the
Basilica of St. Peter in Rome. Nearby are two interesting arches – the
Viceroy’s arch, commemorating the Portuguese conquest of the city, originally
built in 1597, but completely restored in 1954; and a simple arch, which is all
that is left of the original palace of the Adil Shah, which stood here before
the arrival of the Portuguese.
The Church
of St. Augustine must have once towered over the city, but today, all
that remains is a portion of the façade, which can still be seen from quite a
distance.
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| ruins of the Church of St. Augustine |
The Church
of Our Lady of the Rosary is among the older churches, and though
simpler than its counterparts, equally beautiful.
St. Francis
Xavier is said to have been sent to India, to bring back into the fold, the
Portuguese who had become wayward in the matter of faith. He managed, not only
to fulfill his mission, but also to espouse the cause of Christianity in the
region. That his efforts bore fruit can easily be seen, from all these
churches, which still draw in the faithful. That his legacy lives on, is clear,
when his relics still draw people across religions!
Information:
- The Decennial Exposition of St. Francis Xavier will be held from 22nd November, 2014 to 4th January, 2015.
- The sacred relics of the Saint will be taken down from their resting place in the Mausoleum inside the Basilica of Bom Jesus, and carried in a ceremonial procession around the Sé Cathedral. They will be kept there for veneration for 44 days, after which they will be brought back to the Mausoleum.
- Masses will be held every morning and evening, in English, as well as various Indian and Foreign languages. The complete schedule and details of Novenas are available on the Basilica Website.
- Millions of Pilgrims are expected to attend the exposition, and the celebration transcends religions. Old Goa comes alive during this period, with a fair being held in the vicinity of the churches, where trinkets, souvenirs, food and clothes are sold, as well as Goan handicrafts. If you are visiting, be prepared to expect a massive crowd!
very informative post.......
ReplyDeletewonderful post...........
ReplyDeleteWonderful coverage of heritage.
ReplyDeleteSt. Francis Xavier is adored by Christians and the people of Goan. I find the story of St. Francis quite inspiring. He was a missionary who played a crucial role in the spread of Christianity around the world.
ReplyDelete