圣弗朗西斯·泽维尔的遗物在印度果阿吸引12,000人参加十年一度的博览会

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Indian Christians pay their respects to the remains of St. Francis Xavier during the 17th exposition of the saint’s body at the Se Cathedral in Goa on Nov. 22, 2014. / Credit: PUNIT PARANJPE/AFP via Getty Images

CNA Staff, Nov 21, 2024 / 16:50 pm (CNA).

St. Francis Xavier lived the life of a missionary, baptizing tens of thousands in India and Japan. In death, he continues to give himself to Christ’s Church, as his relics offer pilgrims spiritual consolation in Italy and India.

The saint’s right arm is kept in Italy, while a toe is in India after it was reportedly bitten off by an overzealous pilgrim. But the most intact relic of St. Francis Xavier is his body (nearly whole), which is displayed for veneration every 10 years — in a glass casket to avoid any more toe-related incidents.

At least 12,000 people gathered in the western state of Goa, India, on Thursday for the opening of a decennial exposition of the saint’s partially incorrupt remains. Thursday marked the beginning of a 45-day event where St. Francis Xavier’s relics — normally kept in a casket in the Basilica of Bom Jesus — are displayed at the nearby Se Cathedral for veneration.

Archbishop Anil Couto of Delhi celebrated the morning Mass at the Basilica of Bom Jesus, joined by more than 400 priests and bishops. Afterward, attendees processed through the streets with the four-century-old glass casket on a carriage to Se Cathedral, less than 1,000 feet away.

Local reports called the exposition an opportunity for religious unity, as many religious groups in India respect the Catholic saint. In anticipation of the decennial exposition, India Prime Minister Narendra Modi 被称为 the saint “a symbol of peace,” while locals affectionately call Xavier “Goencho Saib,” meaning “protector of Goa.”

The celebration takes place amid growing violence toward Indian Christians, which has “skyrocketed” according to a 2024 report by U.S. Christian leaders who urged the U.S. State Department to add India to the watchlist for religious freedom violations.

To prepare for the exposition, the Goa state government built 33 cottages for pilgrims, with a total capacity of 400 people per day. They expect 在45天内有800万人参观遗迹。 上一次展览是在2014年，接待了至少550万人。

虽然一群人传统上将棺材放在他们的肩膀上，但今年的博览会以电动马车为特色，这是一个组织者。 说 is being employed to avoid chaos. Goa authorities provided more than 700 police personnel for security and traffic.

The display will continue until Jan. 5. Pilgrims may visit his relics from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the cathedral.

Behind the relic

圣弗朗西斯·泽维尔(1506-1552) 第一个之一 Jesuits to evangelize vast portions of Asia. He was born into nobility, but his family lost everything when he was young. As a young man, he attended university, where his friend, St. Ignatius of Loyola, encouraged him to give his life to God. Xavier was initially resistant to the call but eventually became a Jesuit priest and missionary. 

在他在印度的七年里，沙维尔将数万人带入教会。 当他在那里时，Xavier住在一个泥土地板的小屋里，教孩子们关于上帝，探访囚犯和病人。 泽维尔后来前往日本，在那里他指示第一代日本天主教皈依者。 他在去中国途中死于疾病，在上海岛。 他是 buried 在岛上，穿着祭司礼服。 Xavier的遗体在1552年在尚川岛去世后一年内被挖掘出来后被发现腐败。 他的遗体首先被带到马六甲，然后在1554年被带到果阿。 Xavier于1622年被封为圣。 他的节日是12月3日。

Xavier的遗体不仅仅是位置的变化。 1614年，他的右臂是 removed at the request of Pope Paul V. The relic of his arm has been kept in Rome since, except for a brief visit to Canada, when the arm was flown in a case in an airline seat across Canada. 

This was not the first time Xavier had body parts removed. At the first exposition of his body in 1554, a Portuguese woman, Dona Isabel Carom, reportedly 咬掉他的一个脚趾作为遗物。 ， The story goes that the toe began to gush blood. The toe is now kept 在果阿的一个Reliquary。

Going back even further, one account 记录了在岛上发现泽维尔完好无损的尸体后，葡萄牙水手何塞·布拉沃(Jose Bravo)从泽维尔的膝盖上切下了一小块肉，向船长证明遗骸是腐败的。 

泽维尔的尸体在他死后多次展出，但半经常公开展示的传统。 开始 在1782年流传的谣言中，泽维尔的遗体已被另一个人的遗体所取代。 教堂举行了一次公开博览会，以解决谣言，开始在特殊场合进行展览的传统。 近几十年来，这一传统得到了更一贯的观察。 这是第18次此类博览会，是圣人472年遗产的一部分。

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