St. Francis Xavier Church

Dedicated to Saint Francis Xavier, who preached his mission in the region more than 450 years ago, the chapel is held in high esteem by the all residents of the state, irrespective of their religion. Besides the visual beauty of the place with impeccable architecture and a wooden altar, it is the purity of the place that attracts thousands of visitors.

The chapel, which houses the mortal remains of the saint is believed to have been built by saint Francis himself. The structure is built in Doric style architecture with laterite plaster and lime mortar extensively used in the construction process. The beautiful tiled roof is supported by delicate rafters made of wood.

What makes the place unique, however, is the casket of St. Francis, which impeccably amalgamates the Indian and Italian architecture styles. More than thirty plates placed on the sides of the casket depict various incidents from the erstwhile days.

Location of St. Francis Xavier Chapel
The chapel of St. Francis Xavier is located in the east Tiswadi Taluka of Old Goa. The pristine charm of the place is enhanced by its location on the banks of the Mandovi river in central Goa. The place can be reached via the solidarity road behind the St. Paul’s college. The chapel can be visited everyday between 6 am and 6:30 pm.

How to reach St. Francis Xavier Chapel
The best and easiest way to reach the chapel is to drive on National Highway 4A through the Ribander Causeway and along the Mandovi river towards the south east to Ponda. While there are a number of state transport and private buses available to reach the place, it is recommended to hire a pre-paid taxi to avoid any kind of inconvenience.