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GOA(INDIA)
The Feast of St.Francis Xavier
The Sacred RelicsThe Sacred relics of St.Francis Xavier are preserved and kept in the basilica of Bom Jesus in old goa .The feast is celebrated in honor of his death on 3rd of December every year.
After every 10 years his mortal remains are taken down for exposition around old goa.Next exposition is to be held from November 2024 to January 2025.
•Last exposition was held in 2014 estimated 2.5 million pilgrims visited for this event.
Basilica bom Jesus However ,this event goes beyond religion and thousand of non Christian come for the veneration.
During this celebration various stalls are put up in the vicinity of the church that sell lot of trinkets, souvenir,food and clothing's etc
The Biggest fair of Goa During the festive period, a grand fair
opens with many stalls and shops selling Goan food, drinks, sweets, trinkets and souvenirs.
Pork sausages
Sweets and catholic accessories
Entertainment
Saint Body is been taken out to be transferred to opposite church
Procession
The church were in the Body is been transferred during feast.(for a month)
About St.francis Xavier
St. Xavier was a SPANISH missionary born in 1506 and came to Goa in year 1542 .his goal was to influence Goans to Become christian .he was declared dead in the year 1552 on an island while on his way to china.the first Exposition was in year 1782.since then his body remains Intact except for his right arm ,which was taken to rome to be Displayed as a relics in the church of Gesu.
His missionary work in Goa was Unimaginable as Baptized more then 300,000 people in span of Ten years.
The legend has it that the Jesuits who wanted to construct the professed house and later the basilica met with stiff opposition from the Portuguese administration. They had a house on the property, but were being denied permission to build the church.
On the eve of the day when they were to be evicted, the wily priest converted the house into make shift church painting the word “Jesus” on the word and putting up the bell. The next morning the bell rung and much to the surprise the near habitant came for the mass. After that Portuguese were not able to evict the Jesuits from this place.
Legends & lore
Many stories have been originated from the relics of St. Francis Xavier. Some believers claims that his body shrinks every year and when it shrinks to nothing it will signify the end of the world.
Other tell a tale of a women who bend down to kiss the feet of relics ,in devotion she bit off the big toe .they say though the toe was bitten of a corpse it yet bled and so she was caught out and the toe was returned to the rest Relics.
Credit : Cidroy Paes
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