Basilica of Bom Jesus Review
The Basilica of Bom Jesus is one of the oldest and richest catholic churches in India. The church is located in Old Goa and is one of the must visited tourist destinations in Goa. It is also a well known sacred pilgrimage, as it houses the tomb of one of the key members of the Society of Jesus, St. Francis Xavier.
The remains of this world famous Saint holds a great importance for Catholics, but still people from all caste and creed pay a visit to this sacred monument. Masses are mostly in Konkani, as that happens to be the major spoken language in Goa. The church is open every day throughout the year and the timings are 6:00 am to 6:30 pm. There is no entry fee charged for visitors who wish to pay a visit and offer prayer.
The foundation stone of this church was laid on November 24, 1594. Though the foundation stone was laid in 1594, the construction completed only in 1605 and was sanctified by then Archbishop, Dom.Fr.Aleixo de Menezes.
Lot of things are been said about the church, including the miraculous healings and powers for people who visit this church and offer prayers. People from all over India and throughout the world, visit this church and offer prayers with lot of faith.
It is been said the remains of the Saint is just as fresh as it was when he died. One gets a chance to see the remains of the saint, during the public viewing. The last public viewing was held in the year 2004 and the next schedule will be held in 2014 that is once in every ten years.
Apart from the sacred tomb, One also gets to see an amazing artistry done while building this church. The church is studded with beautiful and precious stones. One finds marble flooring all around the Church.
The Basilica is built in a Baroque style of Architecture with lots of embellishments and curves. The facades are adorned with carved pillars which add beauty to the original structure.
The top part of the Façade is completely carved with Basalt rock and demonstrates the Society of Jesus.
The Burial Chamber or the Mausoleum as it is commonly referred is on the top with a display of Silver Casket that holds the remains of the Saint.
The Renaissance style, though simplistic, showcases the inspiration of Baroque architecture throughout the structure. Additionally the church also holds several paintings that exhibit varied scenes related to the life of the great saint.
Very few are aware of the Sound and Light Gallery, which is just a minute away from the church. This gallery presents a unique show named ‘A Pilgrimage of the Heart'. This show is about the wonderful story of St. Xavier's and is presented in a great manner. The show is held every day other than Tuesdays. It is conducted in many languages like English, Hindi and Konkani.
This gallery is open from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm and other than the show it also holds various events related to music, painting, sculptures and films. The ticket for this show is Rs.10/- for adults and Rs.5/- for children. The show is for an hour and is worth watching once. Many buses ply regularly from Panaji and other places in Goa to this sacred monument.
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