Bom Jesus Church, Goa - Walking Through History!

This Church is located in Old Goa, Panjim. It's quiet beautiful and well maintained with gardens surrounding from all sides.

A beautiful exterior

The church is called "Bom Jesus" meaning 'good Jesus' or 'infant Jesus' to whom it is dedicated. The facade has letters 'HIS' on it at the top - which are the first three letters of Jesus in Greek.

The Basilica is considered to be the best example of baroque architecture in India, is a UNESCO world heritage site.

'IHS' - first three letters of Jesus in Greek

Timings

The main attraction o this church is undoubtedly - Body of St. Francis Xavier, which is over 400 years old and still in good condition!

The coffin of St Francis Xavier

A little history about St. Francis

• He Died while en route to China on December 2, 1552
• The Body was first taken to Portuguese Malacca and two years later brought back to Goa, India (after two years, body was as fresh as the day it was buried)
• His remains are displayed in a glass container encased in a silver casket in Basilica.
• St Francis's body is exposed for public display every 10 years.

  Next event will be held from 22-November-2014 to 4-January-2015

  Mark your calenders!

The body of St. Francis

Close up...

Some of the interiors of church...

It would be good to get a Guide to get more insights on the history of this Church. There is ample parking space and eateries outside.
You can also visit 'The Church of St Francis of Assisi' and 'Se Cathedral' nearby.

It's a good 1-2 hours visit...

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Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Church, Goa

This one's located in the heart of Goa - Panjim (and thus it's also called - Panjim Church). It was one of the first churches to be built here (around 1500 BC!).

The Church looks simple, but impressive with beautiful and well maintained structure as well as it's surroundings. It has also been a part of numerous Bollywood movies. 
It's a picturesque location, don't forget your camera (Sadly, photography is not allowed inside the Church).

The Church Square is well maintained with ample greenery.

Front View

From the top, you can get a great view of the lovely Panjim city.

Church Square

Tip 1: Try to visit the church in evening, it get's beautifully lights up making it look more awesome.

Tip 2: Every year on 8th December, the feast of the Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception church is celebrated. During this time, the church is beautifully decorated with lights and also a fair is organized on the square.

It's a worthy 1-2 hour visit.

Cheers!