New Delhi: Less than three weeks ago, thousands of people attacked to Old Goa for Novena and St Francis Xavier’s party, high point in the calendar of Goa.
Throughout the year, thousands of pilgrims visited the Basilica of the 16th century Jesus Bomb, which accommodated the relics of the Spanish Jesuit missionary.
But if the former Portuguese Prime Minister Antonio De Oliveira Salazar has its way in 1961, the heritage was not even in Goa.
It was the Governor of the Portuguese General then, Manuel Antonio Vassalo E Silva, who put his legs down and refused to move the relics to Portugal – because he was ordered by Salazar – despite knowing that he would face Martial Court.
“The relics of St Francis Xavier are the moral patient of Estado Da India, where they (people) will gather in times of danger that must be approaching,” answered Vassalo e Silva to Salazar, according to the history of Vasco Pinho.
“St Francis Xavier is a Saint of the East, and the place is here.
It is impossible for me to obey orders.” In his book, the Snapshots of Indo-Portugal-II history, Pinho noted that this was one of three commandments by Salazar carried out by Vassalo e Silva.
Another author, Jesuit Delio de Mendonca, wrote that he ignored the commands that were afraid of the detrimental reaction of Catholic Goan.
The current Basilica Chancellor, FR Patricio Fernandes, said that if the relics had been moved, everything would be very different in Goa.
“With the presence of St Francis Xavier, everything is very different in the way we live, look, and act.
The heritage has aura, and people are interested in that place and mysterious experience,” he said.
In 1961, Vassalo e Silva hurriedly organized exposition, looked for miracles for Goa.
“The exposition ends with the arrival of Indian troops,” Maurice Hall said in his book, ‘Goa window’.