Thousands of pilgrims will gather at the Basilica of Bom Jesus in Old Goa.
Goa will celebrate the Feast of St Francis Xavier on Thursday, December 3, a regional holiday in the state. Thousands of pilgrims are expected at the Basilica of Bom Jesus in Old Goa, where the saint's relics are kept in a silver casket.
Born in Navarre, Spain, in 1506, Francis Xavier co-founded the Society of Jesus with Ignatius of Loyola. He sailed for the Indies in 1540 and worked largely in Portuguese territories, earning the title Apostle of the Indies.
He died of fever on Shangchuan Island off China on December 2, 1552, and was declared a saint in 1622.
The feast is preceded by nine days of novena prayers, with masses held in several languages. A large fair springs up around the basilica, drawing devotees of all faiths.
