Goencho Saib- Goa’s patron saint

Goencho Saib- Goa’s patron saint

Subject: History

GoenchoSaib- Goa’s patron saint

Velingkar has sparked a debate, claiming that Goa’s patron saint — or as they say in Konkani ‘GoenchoSaib’ — should be the mythical sage Parshuram and not the 16th-century Spanish priest St Francis Xavier.

St Francis Xavier

• Francis Xavier was a Navarrese Catholic missionary and saint who was a co-founder of the Society of Jesus.
• He led an extensive mission into Asia, mainly the Portuguese Empire in the East, and was influential in evangelisation work, most notably in early modern India.
• He was extensively involved in the missionary activity in Portuguese India.
• In 1546, Francis Xavier proposed the establishment of the Goan Inquisition in a letter addressed to the Portuguese King, John III.
• Known as the “Apostle of the Indies“, “Apostle of the Far East“, “Apostle of China” and “Apostle of Japan“, he is considered to be one of the greatest missionaries since Paul the Apostle.

The Portuguese Inquisition

• During the Inquisition, Hindus and Muslims were targeted and forced to convert to Christianity.
• Hindus, who were forcibly converted, were called New Christians and if they were found secretly following their previous religion, they were sentenced to death.
• Most of the records regarding Goa’s Inquisition were burnt and destroyed by the Portuguese government when the Inquisition was abolished in 1812.