Goemkarponn Desk
PANAJI: As the annual feast of St. Francis Xavier commences, the Old Goa is abuzz with anticipation, drawing devotees from both near and far for the grand celebratiotoday
This year’s theme, ‘Like St. Francis Xavier, let us do what Jesus did,’ resonates with the spirit of selfless service and compassion exemplified by the revered saint. The feast day attracted faithful followers to partake in the spiritual and joyous atmosphere.
The feast commemorates the dedication and service that Saint Francis Xavier committed himself to Jesus through his outreach of faith and social work in Europe and throughout Asia.
He was one of the greatest Catholic missionaries, who preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the lay people across the globe. The date of the feast coincides with the day when the saint died during his voyage to China.
St Francis Xavier was a Navarrese-Basque Roman Catholic missionary born in the Kingdom of Navarre on April 7, 1506. Navarre, which was a much-desired kingdom in those days, was conquered by King Ferdinand of Aragon and Castile. After the war, Francis was sent to study at the University of Paris.
There he roomed with his friend, Peter Favre. Both were influenced by Ignatius of Loyola, who encouraged Francis to become a priest. Along with Ignatius of Loyola, he created the Order of the Jesuits.
The Portuguese settlers in India and elsewhere were losing their faith and Christian values. The King of Portugal asked the Pope to send missionaries to the region to help restore people’s values. Francis was among these missionaries but was sent as a Papal Nuncio. He arrived in the colony of Goa on May 6, 1542.
Francis not only helped settlers and locals re-learn their values but tended to the sick and children as well. Goa was not the only place in Asia that Francis travelled to. His work took him to Japan, which he was keen on visiting and also China. He took ill with a fever and passed away on Sancian Island (Shangchuan) in China on December 3, 1552.
Francis was buried on Sancian until February 1553 when his body was removed and taken to Malacca where it was buried at a church for a month. Then one of his companions moved his body to his own residence for the rest of the year.
In December, his body was moved to Goa. His relics are now kept in a silver casket enclosed in a glass case at the Basilica of Bom Jesus.
Vendors from across the State put up their stalls during the feast. They are operational right from the start of the Novena. The whole lane near the Basilica remains blocked. One can view a wide range of products right from handmade products such as trinkets, souvenirs and jewellery to mouth-watering festival treats at the fair. By bargaining, one may even be lucky to take these goodies home at jaw-dropping prices.
Lakhs of devotees from all around the world throng Old Goa for the annual feast. So, one can imagine the amount of traffic one will have to wade through to visit Old Goa. It would be better to commute on two-wheelers.