After Francis Xavier succumbed to fever on December 3, 1552, his body was initially buried on Shangchuan Island, Guangdong, China. In February 1553, it was exhumed and moved to Malacca, temporarily placed in the Church of St. Paul. Remarkably, the body showed minor decay even after a year. In December 1553, it was decided to transfer his remains to Goa, which arrived in early 1554.
St. Francis Xavier’s incorrupt body was displayed for veneration on the anniversary of his death, especially after his canonization by Pope Gregory XV in 1622, proclaiming him the “Patron of Catholic Missions.” As crowds grew, concerns for the relic’s safety led to it being sealed in a coffin, which remained unopened until 1774. In 1759, the Church of Bom Jesus and the relics came under the control of the Archdiocese of Goa. Since then, the relics have been exposed for public veneration during the ‘Solemn Exposition,’ where the relics are brought down and taken out of the Basilica of Bom Jesus in a ceremonial procession to the more spacious Se Cathedral church.
Over the past 460 years, the saint’s body has been exposed eight times privately and seventeen times publicly at irregular intervals. The first public Exposition was held from March 16-18, 1554, in an open coffin, during which a Portuguese woman named Dona Isabel Carom bit off a toe from the right foot to keep it as a personal relic. After his canonization by Pope Gregory XV in 1622, the body was moved to the Chapel of St. Francis of Borja. On December 2, 1637, it was placed in a 400-kg silver casket, crafted by Goan silversmiths in a blend of Italian and Indian styles. The casket, adorned with 32 silver plates depicting the saint’s life, has since been housed in a Florentine marble mausoleum at the Basilica of Bom Jesus, Old Goa.
The coffin was opened several times: privately in 1654 for Fr. Espinola, Bishop in Goa and Apostolic Vicar of the East; in 1678 at the request of Governor Antonio Pais de Sande; in 1683 by Conde de Alvor, who prayed for Goa’s protection from an attack by Marathas; and in 1690 by Jesuit missionary S. Joao de Brito.
After some instances of desecration, the coffin remained closed for 54 years until it was reopened on December 12, 1744, for the new Viceroy and Archbishop of Goa. It was opened again in 1751 for the new Viceroy Marquis of Tavora, his wife Marquess D. Leonor, and the Archbishop; again on March 17 for Governor to Estado da India, D. Luiz Caetano de Almeida.
The second public Exposition took place from February 10-12, 1782, for physical verification as there were charges against the Jesuits that the body was not in Goa. Over 40,000 visitors attended. The third public Exposition, held from December 3, 1859, to January 7, 1860, was also for physical verification and attracted over 2 lakh visitors. The fourth Exposition, from December 3, 1878, to January 5, 1879, saw around 15 miraculous healings and was an occasion for extensive church renovations. The fifth Exposition, from December 3, 1890, to January 3, 1891, drew over 1.71 lakh visitors, with 57 verified healings. In 1900, the body was displayed in a glass case during the sixth Exposition (December 7-10). The seventh, held from November 10 to December 28, 1910, verified 12 healings and attracted over 5 lakh visitors. The eight one saw 5 lakh visitors during 3 December 1922-7 January 1923. In 1931 (December 3-January 10), the ninth public Exposition coincided with releasing commemorative postage stamps. The tenth public Exposition, marking the 400th anniversary of St. Francis Xavier’s arrival in Goa, was held from May 6-13, 1942.
On January 22, 1950, the coffin was opened privately for Cardinal Gilroy, Archbishop of Sydney and Papal Legate to the 1st Plenary Council of India. In June 1952, it was opened privately for government officials to examine the body. The 11th public Exposition (Dec 3-Jan 6) saw the release of commemorative stamps. In 1961, Governor-General Manuel Antonio Vassalo e Silva privately opened the coffin. He placed his staff at the feet of St. Francis Xavier, praying for the saint’s intervention to protect Goa from an impending attack by the Indian government. The 12th public Exposition (November 24, 1964-Jan 6, 1965) occurred after Goa’s liberation; over 5.2 lakh visitors attended.
From 1974, decennial expositions were held. The 13th (1974-75) drew 9.3 lakh visitors; the 14th (1984-85) attracted 1.13 million; the 15th (1994-95) saw 1.08 million; and the 16th (2004-2005) brought 1.11 million visitors. The 17th public Exposition in 2014-15 (Jan 4-17) attracted over 1 million visitors. The 18th Public Exposition, running from November 21, 2024, to January 5, 2025, began with a Solemn Eucharist and a procession of the Sacred Relics to the Se Cathedral for 45 days of veneration. The exposition will close with the relics’ return to the Basilica on January 5, 2025, followed by a closing Eucharist Mass.
The expositions have become a blend of religious devotion and cultural heritage, attracting people from different faiths who revere St. Francis Xavier, known as Gõycho Saib. His intercession is believed to safeguard Goa from calamities, epidemics and plagues and the events are marked by prayers, rituals, and communal reverence.
