Basilica of Bom Jesus, Catholic basilica in Old Goa, India

The Basilica of Bom Jesus is a Baroque church in Old Goa, North Goa district, India. Its reddish-brown stone facade rises in vertical sections divided by pilasters, topped by a pediment with a circular carved emblem; below are two round windows with carved surrounds and rectangular windows with reddish-brown shutters. A central arched doorway with a dark wooden door, flanked by columns, opens at the base, and a long side wall with smaller arched openings and a row of stone finials runs to the left.

The Jesuits began building the church on 24 November 1594, as recorded on a pillar inscription, and Archbishop Aleixo de Menezes consecrated it on 15 May 1605. In 1613 the body of St Francis Xavier was moved to the adjoining Jesuit residence, and in 1624 his sarcophagus was installed in the church. The relics were placed in a silver casket in 1637, and in 1698 Cosimo III de' Medici sent Florentine sculptor Giovanni Battista Foggini to build the marble mausoleum.

The cruciform layout follows Jesuit building traditions and allows visitors today to approach the silver shrine up close. Pilgrims arrive throughout the year to pray at the tomb, especially during the exposition when the mortal remains are displayed publicly.

The church stands in Old Goa, the former capital of Portuguese India, and is open to the public every day. The marble floor is inlaid with precious stones, so watch your step near the transept, where the silver casket and Foggini mausoleum sit on the right.

The outer walls were deliberately left unplastered, showing the original stonework. This decision sets the building apart from other churches in the area and lets visitors read the construction method directly.