Goa: Decennial exposition of St Francis Xavier to begin in Nov

Panaji, Oct 15: The Goa Church has announced the decree to host the decennial exposition of sacred relics of St Francis Xavier from November 22, 2014- January 4, 2015.

The relics are preserved at Basilica of Bom Jesus, a Church situated 9 kms away from Panaji in the town of Old Goa. The Archdiocese of Goa has issued a decree announcing the exposition, which is witnessed by several lakhs of people every ten years.

"In conformity with a long standing practice, followed in this Archdiocese of holding solemn exposition of the sacred relics of St Francis Xavier every 10 years, we determine that the solemn exposition be held in 2014, beginning on November 22 and end on January 4, 2015," says a press release by Goa Church, which announced the decree yesterday.

Francis Xavier was the first Jesuit missionary who devoted much of his life to missions in Asia, after being requested by King John III of Portugal, where the king believed that Christian values were eroding among the Portuguese.

He died in 1552, but his body was shipped to Goa on December 11, 1553. Since then it is preserved in a casket here.

PTI