Basilica of Bom Jesus

The Basilica of Bom Jesus is one of the most important places to visit in Goa, a UNESCO-listed church holding the relics of St Francis Xavier. Here are the viewing hours, dress code and history.

The Basilica of Bom Jesus ('Good Jesus', the infant Jesus) is the most visited church in Old Goa, the former Portuguese capital about 10 km east of Panaji. According to Goa Tourism, its foundation stone was laid on 24 November 1594 and the church was consecrated on 15 May 1605; it was raised to the status of a minor basilica in 1946 and is the only basilica in Goa.

It is best known as the resting place of the relics of St Francis Xavier, kept in an ornate casket in a side chapel; the relics are brought down for public veneration only during special expositions held at intervals of several years. The façade is unusual for Goa: it was stripped of its lime plaster in 1970, leaving the red laterite exposed, and it combines several architectural styles. Inside, the gilded main altar is dedicated to the infant Jesus and St Ignatius of Loyola.

The basilica is part of the 'Churches and Convents of Goa' UNESCO World Heritage Site, and Se Cathedral and the Church of St Francis of Assisi stand across the square. The church is an active place of worship, with daily masses; tourist viewing is outside mass times. No entry ticket is reported for the church. Dress modestly (shoulders and knees covered) and keep silence inside. The annual Feast of St Francis Xavier on 3 December draws very large crowds.