Gotcha Goa

Gotcha goa: Basilica of bom jesus, an architectural wonder (Part 2)

Hello Friends,

The next most beautiful place that we visited was the Basilica of Bom Jesus, a huge cathedral with a rich history associated with it. I was completely mesmerized by the vastness, intricate carvings, architecture and of course the religious connotations that it resonated with.

In spite of myself I gravitated to the altar and knelt down on one of the pews to pray. A sense of calm, peace and tranquility surrounds you and this matched with the history and heritage of the church makes for an overwhelming combination.

The Basilica of Bom Jesus (Portuguese: Basílica do Bom Jesus) is a World Heritage Monument and is situated in old Goa. This church is considered to be one of the oldest churches in Goa. The basilica holds the mortal remains of St. Francis Xavier. ‘Bom Jesus’ means in Portugese ‘Good (or Holy) Jesus’) and has marble flooring with a gold coloured elaborate altar. The Jesuit church is India’s first minor basilica, and is considered to be one of the best examples of baroque architecture in India.

Main view of the pews and altar

Main view of the altar

About the Basilica – citation at the entrance

Imposing frontal view of the church

The church itself is situated in a huge sprawling estate flanked by big trees and lawns. One can easily sit down in one of the benches and continue to admire the beauty of the church from many sides.

Large and verdant pathway to the church

After the initial `oh wow, what a great piece of history’ reaction is over one can very well go in and observe some many of the little pieces of carvings and architectural beauty that the church is filled with. An infant Jesus statue on the right hand side was amazing.