Goa and the incorrupt remains of St Francis Xavier

August 4, 2011

Xavier’s extraordinary incorrupt body, 500 years after death — placed on the relic, blessed in the Church of Bom Jesus, and a warm welcome despite the chaos and rain of Goa. (4 min read)

Tomorrow we leave Goa, India and start the long track home via Mumbai and Singapore. We have covered a very great distance (in kilometres, time, history, culture) on this pilgrimage and I am sad that it must end.

We are in Goa because this is where the body of St Francis Xavier is kept.

Xavier’s story is extraordinary and, and you can see from the photos, his body is in amazing condition 500 years after his death.

Xavier died on a remote Chinese island in 1552 at the age of 46. His body was covered with lime (to expedite decomposition) and buried. It was dug up and reburied again in Malacca and then dug up again. Despite this trauma, the body did not decompose. It was translated to the church of Bom Jesus in Goa and kept in a glass casket. Until the church authorised the cutting up of Xavier’s corpse, it remained intact and still bled.

The Church of Bom Jesus, where Xavier is buried, is highly energised and I was blessed with the opportunity of placing the rosaries on the relic.

It is the rainy season in Goa and that is not my favourite. While the place is green and the contrast with Jerusalem is huge, the rain is a dampner on everything but shopping. The green is like Bali and I have to confess that my uniformed prejudices were entirely unfounded – not one child knocked on the car window and everyone has been so kind, smiling and lovely (not unlike the Balinese).

Goa has been the most challenging place for me of the pilgrimage, principally due to the noise. Constant motorcycle and car horns and, to my eyes, seemingly chaotic traffic.

The food in Goa is lovely but it is a challenge to avoid chilli.

Namaste.