The decennial exposition of the sacred relics of Saint Francis Xavier, the patron saint of Goa, will start on Thursday (November 21), and go on until January 5 subsequent yr.
Pilgrims, particularly from the Catholic neighborhood, and vacationers will converge in Goa over the subsequent 45 days to pay homage to the saint, whose mortal stays shall be placed on public show for veneration. Thought of to be a time of non secular reflection, devotion and celebration, the occasion shall be marked by spiritual ceremonies together with plenty, prayer companies, novenas, and processions.
What occurs in the course of the exposition?
The “incorruptible” mortal stays of the Spanish Jesuit missionary St Francis Xavier, one of many founding members of The Society of Jesus, have been housed on the Basilica of Bom Jesus in Outdated Goa since 1624.
Throughout the exposition, a four-century-old silver glass casket holding the relics shall be lowered from its resting place within the mausoleum on the Basilica in a personal ceremony. On Thursday, the relics will then be carried in a ceremonial procession from the Basilica to Se Cathedral, some 300 metres away, the place they are going to be saved for the next 45 days for devotees to venerate.
Fr Henry Falcao, convener of the Exposition Committee of the Archdiocese, stated, “The exposition is veneration of the holy relics of St Francis Xavier. It has been a practice in Goa for a few years. It’s a miraculous relic and an indication of divine intervention… His physique didn’t see corruption regardless of being buried a number of instances and every time the physique was exhumed, it didn’t see corruption.”
“The exposition is a non secular occasion, not a industrial one. Over time, it has additionally develop into a world occasion. For the Catholics, it’s about renewal of our private life and social life, it’s an occasion of religion… to strengthen our religion in God,” he stated.
When did this decennial custom start?
Though the decennial custom is comparatively new, the relics of St Francis Xavier have lengthy been “uncovered” to the general public. The physique of the revered saint has been seemed upon as a miracle among the many trustworthy, on condition that it confirmed minimal indicators of decay.
It’s believed that the physique was “uncovered” for veneration of the general public on his loss of life anniversary in 1554. After the saint was canonised in 1622, the custom gained additional prominence. The physique was later put in a coffin because of concern of decay of the relics and to keep away from untoward incidents.
In 1782, rumours circulated that the physique of the saint was not in Goa, and had been changed by one other physique. Following this, a public exposition passed off to dispel these rumours. Subsequently, within the latter half of the 18th century, the sacred relics had been uncovered at irregular intervals on particular events, which got here to be referred to as the solemn exposition.
This turned a extra common occasion after Goa was liberated from Portuguese rule in 1961, and has been held as soon as each decade since 1964. Fr Falcao stated, “That is the eighteenth exposition. We predict over 8 million individuals to go to this time. Although it’s laborious to estimate a quantity. Throughout the earlier exposition in 2014, over 5.5 million individuals visited.”
What particular preparations have been made for the exposition?
The Church authorities stated the casket containing the relics shall be carried in a specifically designed electrical carriage, as an alternative of being carried on shoulders of teams of individuals, as has been the norm in earlier expositions.
“We needed to do that for solemnity and sanctity and to keep away from chaos,” stated Fr Falcao. “The inaugural mass will happen on November 21 at 9.30 am, adopted by a solemn procession of the sacred relics from the Basilica of Bom Jesus to the Se Cathedral,” he stated.
In a primary, an 80-member brass band shall be part of the procession ceremony, to showcase the state’s tradition and custom.
Goa chief minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday stated that preparations for the 45-day non secular occasion are almost full. “We’ve got arrange a novel pilgrim village. The village has been arrange for the poor to supply them free lodging. A particular administrative workplace and secretariat has been set as much as handle the occasion. A lightweight and music present has been deliberate for December 27 on the Se Cathedral campus. For transportation, particular buses shall be run to ferry pilgrims from the principle cities,” Sawant informed reporters at a media briefing.
He stated over 700 police personnel shall be deployed for round the clock safety and for motion of visitors.
In March, Sawant had introduced that the state will request the Prime Minister’s Workplace to invite Pope Francis to Goa for the exposition. However this was by no means really on the playing cards.
“This was not a chance. The Pope’s schedule is set a minimum of two years upfront. There are specific protocols. The Pope needs to be invited by the Central authorities, not by the state authorities. The state can solely request the Centre. So, to my information, I don’t assume the invite from the Centre had gone,” Fr Falcao stated.
And who was St Francis Xavier?
St Francis Xavier, additionally known as “Goencho Saib” (Lord of Goa), arrived in Goa — then a Portuguese colony — in 1542. His main mission, as ordered by King John III, was to revive Christianity among the many Portuguese settlers.
He died in 1552 on Shangchuan island off China’s coast. He was first buried on the island. The next yr, his physique was exhumed and transported to Malacca, the place it was housed within the Church of St Paul for a number of months. The saint’s physique was shipped to Goa in 1554, and saved at St Paul’s school in Outdated Goa — the primary constructing constructed by Jesuits in Goa. The physique was later transferred to Casa Professa close to the Basilica by 1613, and positioned within the Basilica in 1624.
