ADVISORY FOR DEVOTEES FOR ST. FRANCIS XAVIER FEAST

November 21, 2023

The feast of St. Francis Xavier will be celebrated at Bom Jesus Basilica Church at Old Goa from November 25 to December 4, 2023. The Novenas will commence from November 25, 2023 and the annual feast will be held on December 4, 2023.

As large number of people/devotees from different parts of the State and neighboring States will pay visit to Old Goa Churches during the feast, which are world heritage monuments. The devotees will visit Bom Jesus Basilica Church, Old Goa in queue for darshan of the sacred relics of St. Francis Xavier, attend mass and religious ceremonies throughout.

On the point of safety and security of the visitors/devotees and world heritage monuments, Goa Police has issued advisory to the general public.

All the visitors/devotees who will be visiting Old Goa for the feast of St. Francis Xavier should carry Identity Card/ID proof with them for access in the Churches.

They should not carry baggages, hand bags or any extra luggage during their visit inside the Churches.

In case, if any visitor/devotee comes across any suspicious object/article or any suspicious person or any suspicious activity in the Church premises or in the surrounding periphery of the feast, they should immediately report to the Old Goa Police Station/Police Out Post in the premises of Bom Jesus Basilica Church or dial 100/112 for prompt Police action/assistance, as informed by the Department of Information and Publicity.

DI/NB/AXP/UB/GD/2023/