Goa — The Virgin of the Conception
Goa · India · 16th Century
The capital of Catholicism in Asia
Goa was the center of Portuguese Catholicism in Asia from the 16th century. Vasco da Gama arrived in 1498; in 1510, Afonso de Albuquerque conquered Goa for Portugal. From there, the evangelization of all of East Asia began. Saint Francis Xavier, the "Apostle of the Indies," used Goa as a base of operations for the evangelization of India, Japan, and China.
The Cathedral and the Virgin of the Conception
La I know Cathedral de Goa (Cathedral of Santa Catalina), built between 1562 and 1619, is the largest Catholic temple in Asia. The Virgin of the Conception (Immaculate Conception) is the main Marian advocation of Goa, with a famous church dedicated to it: Church of the Immaculate Conception of Panaji (1619), one of India's most photographed buildings.
The Churches of Goa: World Heritage Site
Las Churches and convents of Goa were declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1986. The whole includes the Sé Catedral, the Basilica of the Bom Jesus (where are the incorrupted relics of St. Francis Javier), and several churches of the 16th century.
Saint Francis Xavier and Goa
San Francisco Javier (1506-1552) died on the island of Shanghai (China) waiting to enter mainland China. His body was transferred to Goa, where he rests incorruptly in the Basilica of the Bom Jesus. Every ten years the Exposure of the body of Saint Francis Javier, who attracts millions of faithful. The last one was in 2024.