Basilica of Bom Jesus (Tomb of St. Francis Xavier)

The Story

The Basilica of Bom Jesus in Old Goa, India, completed in 1605 and part of a UNESCO World Heritage site, shelters the tomb of St. Francis Xavier (1506–1552), the Jesuit missionary often called the Apostle of the Indies and of Japan. A companion of St. Ignatius of Loyola and one of the first members of the Society of Jesus, Francis Xavier left Europe in 1541 and spent the rest of his life preaching the Gospel in India, the Moluccas, and Japan, baptizing great numbers and founding Christian communities across Asia. He died on December 3, 1552, on Shangchuan Island off the coast of China, still hoping to bring the Gospel to the Chinese mainland. When his body was later brought to Goa in 1554, it was reported to be remarkably preserved, a condition the faithful received as a sign of his holiness. His relics now rest in a silver casket, completed in 1637, atop a marble mausoleum in a chapel of the basilica. He was canonized in 1622 alongside St. Ignatius, and in 1927 Pope Pius XI declared him patron of Catholic missions together with St. Therese of Lisieux. About every ten years the relics are brought down for a public exposition, drawing millions of pilgrims of many faiths; the most recent exposition was held from November 2024 to January 2025. Between expositions, the basilica remains one of Asia's foremost Catholic pilgrimage destinations, with the saint's feast celebrated on December 3.

Church Recognition

St. Francis Xavier was canonized by Pope Gregory XV in 1622 and named patron of Catholic missions by Pope Pius XI in 1927; the Basilica of Bom Jesus, which holds his relics, was raised to the rank of minor basilica in 1946.

Catholic Teaching

The veneration of St. Francis Xavier's relics reflects the Church's teaching on the honor due to the bodies of the saints (CCC 1674) and on the missionary mandate Christ gave his Church (Mt 28:19; CCC 849–856), of which Xavier remains a preeminent model.

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1 Additional Information ▾

The Basilica of Bom Jesus in Old Goa (a UNESCO site) preserves his relics, shown periodically.

Go Deeper

The Archdiocese of Goa and Daman, which cares for the basilica, publishes information on the shrine and its expositions. For further reading, see James Brodrick's classic biography Saint Francis Xavier, and the Catechism on the Church's missionary nature (CCC 849–856).