The Catholic Pilgrim's Guide to Goa, India

On December 3, 1552, Francisco Xavier died alone on Shangchuan Island, watching the Chinese coast he would never reach. His body, placed in a quicklime-filled coffin meant to hasten decomposition for transport back to Goa, refused to decay. When the coffin was opened four months later, the flesh remained supple, the features recognizable. The incorrupt body of the Apostle of the Indies arrived in Goa in 1554, and there it has remained—drawing millions who come to venerate the saint who baptized more souls than anyone since the apostles. Today, pilgrims approach the Basilica of Bom Jesus along roads that once served as the processional arteries of a city Europeans called "Rome of the Orient." At its peak, Old Goa's population rivaled Lisbon. Plague emptied the city in the eighteenth century, but seven monuments survived—churches and convents now inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Within the red laterite walls of the Basilica, Xavier's remains rest in a silver casket above the altar, glimpsed through glass. Every ten years, the reliquary descends for public veneration. Hindus, Muslims, and Christians alike join the queue, united in reverence for a man they call Gõycho Saib—Goa's Lord.

📜 History & Spiritual Significance

The Portuguese captured Goa from the Bijapur Sultanate on November 25, 1510—the Feast of Saint Catherine—and Afonso de Albuquerque immediately dedicated the conquest to her patronage. Within a decade, Goa had become the administrative capital of Portuguese India, and the Jesuits who followed Francis Xavier transformed it into the center of Asian Christianity. The churches that rose along the Mandovi River combined Manueline, Mannerist, and Baroque styles with Indian craftsmanship, creating a distinctive aesthetic that missionaries would carry throughout Asia. Francis Xavier himself spent little time in Goa. He arrived in May 1542, preached along the Fishery Coast, traveled to Malacca, the Spice Islands, and Japan, and returned only briefly between journeys. But Goa was always his base, the place where he ordained priests and organized missions. When he died attempting to enter China at age forty-six, his body was brought back through the same routes his living feet had walked. The incorruption was taken as divine confirmation of his sanctity; he was beatified in 1619 and canonized in 1622. The city's decline began in the seventeenth century. Repeated plague outbreaks and Dutch blockades weakened the population. By 1759, the Portuguese had abandoned Old Goa for Panaji, leaving the churches as monuments amid the jungle. The Archaeological Survey of India and the Catholic Church now jointly maintain the site. UNESCO inscribed the "Churches and Convents of Goa" in 1986, recognizing them as evidence of the evangelization of Asia and the spread of European art forms through missionary activity.

☩ Pilgrimage Sites in Old Goa

Basílica do Bom Jesus

Basilica of the Good Jesus Construction began in 1594 under the patronage of Dom Aleixo de Menezes, Archbishop of Goa, and the church was consecrated on May 15, 1605. The red laterite façade stands bare of plaster—stripped in 1950 on misguided conservation advice—exposing volcanic stone that glows warm in afternoon light. The interior follows a simple cruciform plan: a single nave leading to a high altar dedicated to the Infant Jesus, dominated by a gilded reredos framing a statue of Saint Ignatius of Loyola gazing heavenward. But pilgrims come for what rests in the right transept: the silver casket containing Francis Xavier's mortal remains, elevated in a mausoleum of Florentine marble donated by Grand Duke Cosimo III de' Medici in 1698. The saint's body lies within, visible only during the decennial expositions when millions file past to glimpse the face of the Apostle of the Indies. Address NH 748, Old Goa Road, Bainguinim, Goa 403402 GPS 15.500833, 73.911389 Map Google Maps Web archgoadaman.org

Art Gallery at the Basilica

Adjacent to the main church, a gallery houses works by Dom Martin, a Goan surrealist painter whose canvases interpret Xavier's life through dreamlike imagery. The collection also includes historical paintings, liturgical vestments, and artifacts from the Jesuit missions.

Sé Catedral de Santa Catarina

Cathedral of Saint Catherine of Alexandria The largest church in Asia when completed, the Sé Cathedral rises 115 feet above the laterite foundations laid in 1562 under orders of Portuguese Viceroy Dom Constantino de Bragança. The dedication honors Saint Catherine of Alexandria, on whose feast day Afonso de Albuquerque captured Goa from Muslim rule in 1510. The façade originally bore twin towers; one collapsed in 1776 and was never rebuilt, lending the cathedral an asymmetrical dignity. Within the surviving tower hangs the Golden Bell—among the largest and finest-toned in Asia, its voice once summoning the faithful and tolling for executions of the Inquisition. The interior stretches 250 feet in Portuguese-Manueline splendor, with fifteen altars distributed among eight chapels. Near the main altar, a font once used by Francis Xavier for baptisms remains an object of veneration. In the Chapel of the Cross of Miracles, pilgrims kneel before a crucifix where, in 1919, witnesses reported seeing a vision of Christ's face appear upon the corpus. Address Cathedral Square, Old Goa, Goa 403402 GPS 15.503528, 73.912194 Map Google Maps Web archgoadaman.org

Church and Convent of Saint Francis of Assisi

Franciscan friars built the original chapel in 1517; the present structure dates from 1661. The interior dazzles with gilded woodwork covering every surface—angels, foliage, and Franciscan symbols climbing toward a painted ceiling depicting scenes from Saint Francis's life. The adjoining convent houses the Archaeological Museum of Goa, displaying portraits of Portuguese viceroys, Hindu sculpture recovered from temple sites, and fragments of Goan colonial history. Among the treasures: a bronze statue of Afonso de Albuquerque that once stood in Old Goa's main square. Address Old Goa, Goa 403402 GPS 15.502778, 73.911944 Map Google Maps

Church of Saint Cajetan

Italian Theatine friars constructed this church between 1655 and 1661 on a design modeled after Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome—a rare example of Corinthian architecture in India. The Greek-cross plan supports a central dome that floods the interior with light. Beneath the altar, a well once supplied water to the community; local legend holds it was blessed by Francis Xavier during one of his brief stays in Goa. Address Old Goa, Goa 403402 GPS 15.504167, 73.911389 Map Google Maps

Chapel of Saint Catherine

Afonso de Albuquerque built the original chapel in 1510 immediately after his victory, fulfilling his vow to Saint Catherine. The present structure dates from 1550 and was elevated to cathedral status before the Sé was completed. Though modest in size, the chapel marks the exact site where Portuguese forces entered the city—the foundation stone of Catholic Goa. Address Old Goa, Goa 403402 GPS 15.502500, 73.910833 Map Google Maps

Church of Our Lady of the Rosary

Perched on Monte Santo overlooking the Mandovi River, this church preserves the earliest Portuguese architecture in Goa. Afonso de Albuquerque watched the 1510 battle from this hill; the church built here shortly after combines Gothic and Manueline elements rarely seen east of Portugal. Within lies the tomb of Dona Catarina, the first Portuguese woman in India and wife of a surgeon to the early governors. Address Monte Santo, Old Goa, Goa 403402 GPS 15.506389, 73.907778 Map Google Maps

Ruins of the Church of Saint Augustine

Augustinian friars built an immense convent complex between 1572 and 1602. Abandoned after religious orders were suppressed in 1835, the structure collapsed progressively—first the vault in 1842, then the façade in 1931. Today, only the 46-meter bell tower remains, rising above jungle vegetation as a monument to impermanence. The convent's great bell was salvaged and now hangs in the Church of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception in Panaji. Address Old Goa, Goa 403402 GPS 15.498889, 73.912778 Map Google Maps

🕯️ Annual Feast Days & Celebrations

Feast of Saint Francis Xavier — December 3

The feast marks the anniversary of Xavier's death on Shangchuan Island in 1552. A novena begins nine days earlier, with special Masses, confessions, and devotions drawing pilgrims from across India and the Goan diaspora worldwide. On the feast day itself, the Basilica of Bom Jesus fills before dawn, and Masses continue throughout the day and night. Pilgrims process through Old Goa's streets, many having walked for days from villages across Maharashtra and Karnataka. The scent of incense mingles with the smell of traditional Goan sweets sold at stalls along the processional route.

Exposition of the Sacred Relics — Every Ten Years

Every decade, the silver casket containing Xavier's body is lowered from its elevated mausoleum and carried in solemn procession to the Sé Cathedral, where pilgrims can approach for close veneration. The 18th Exposition ran from November 21, 2024, to January 5, 2025, with an estimated eight to ten million pilgrims attending over forty-five days. Hindus and Muslims join Christians in the veneration—Xavier is revered across religious lines in India. The Padayatra pilgrimage sees over a thousand faithful walk for eight days from Maharashtra and Karnataka, arriving in Old Goa in procession.

Feast of Saint Catherine — November 25

The Sé Cathedral celebrates its patron with particular solemnity, commemorating both the saint's martyrdom and the Portuguese capture of Goa on this date in 1510.

🛏️ Where to Stay

The Postcard Velha ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — Boutique heritage property on a two-acre estate, a fifteen-minute walk from the Basilica. Six individually designed rooms blend colonial architecture with contemporary luxury. Website ∙ Reserve this hotel Miros ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ — Five-star hotel fifteen minutes' walk from the Basilica, with pool, spa, and acclaimed vegetarian cuisine. Nine rooms overlooking tropical gardens. Website ∙ Reserve this hotel

🚗 Getting There

By Air: Goa International Airport (Dabolim, GOI) lies 24 kilometers south of Old Goa. Mopa International Airport (GOX), opened in 2023, is approximately 50 kilometers north. Taxis and ride-shares connect both airports to Old Goa in 45–90 minutes depending on traffic. By Train: Karmali Railway Station, served by the Konkan Railway, lies 3 kilometers from the basilicas. Major trains from Mumbai, Delhi, and Bengaluru stop here. Auto-rickshaws and taxis wait at the station. By Bus: Kadamba Transport Corporation operates buses from Panaji (10 km, 30 minutes) and Margao (35 km, 75 minutes). Buses drop passengers at the main road near the churches. By Car: From Panaji, follow NH 748 east for 10 kilometers. From Margao, take NH 66 north to the Cortalim junction, then NH 748 east. Parking is available near the church complex.

📚 Further Reading

Books: Coleridge, Henry James. The Life and Letters of St. Francis Xavier — The definitive Victorian biography, drawing on Xavier's own correspondence and contemporaneous accounts. Schurhammer, Georg. Francis Xavier: His Life, His Times — Four-volume scholarly biography considered the most comprehensive study of the saint's life. Online Resources: Churches and Convents of Goa — UNESCO World Heritage Site listing with history and significance. (UNESCO) Saint Francis Xavier — Comprehensive biography from the Catholic Encyclopedia. (New Advent)

🔗 Useful Links

Archdiocese of Goa and Daman — Official website of the archdiocese with parish information and pilgrim resources. Goa Tourism — State tourism board with practical visitor information. Archaeological Survey of India - Goa Circle — Government conservation body responsible for heritage site maintenance.

🧭 Nearby Pilgrimage Destinations

Velankanni (1,300 km) — The Basilica of Our Lady of Good Health draws five million pilgrims annually, particularly for the September feast. Known as the "Lourdes of the East." Malayattoor (600 km) — Where tradition holds Saint Thomas the Apostle prayed, leaving his footprint in rock. Pilgrims climb the 1,200 steps during the April feast. Mumbai (600 km) — The Basilica of Our Lady of the Mount in Bandra hosts the annual Bandra Fair in September, one of India's largest Catholic festivals.

🪶 Closing Reflection

"All these dangers and discomforts, when borne for the love of our Lord Jesus Christ, are treasuries filled with heavenly consolations."

— St. Francis Xavier, Letter to the Society at Rome, 1548