Francis Xavier and the bloody history of Christian conversion in Goa!
There is a church, Francis Xavier also named as “Basilica of Bom Jesus” is located in Goa . The chief minister of Goa , Mr. Pramod Sawant has announced that for the revival of this church a sum of INR 46 crore will be spent from the government fund. The Chief Minister of Goa belongs to the BJP. Most Hindus may not have even heard the name of Francis Xavier. After the Portuguese came to India and settled in Goa, Christian priests began to convert the Indians by forced conversion.
- The name of the Christian clergy who initiated this atrocity was Francis Xavier (7 April 1506 – 3 December 1552). Francis Xavier tried his best to convert the Hindus but did not get much success in the beginning. He saw that Hindu Brahmins are the biggest obstruction in increasing the number of sheep for Jesus Christ . In Francis Xavier’s own words, the Brahmins were his biggest enemies because they were the biggest hindrance in converting them. Francis Xavier took refuge of Christian rule to solve this problem. This order was implemented by the Viceroy to exclude all Brahmins from the limits of Portuguese rule and its boundaries. There will be no permission to build a new temple and repair the old temple at any place in Goa!
- Seeing no effect on this, the next order was implemented that any hindu that will become a hindrance in the path of Christian rule, his/her property will be seized. The next order was implemented with more rigor as not being successful. All the Brahmins of the state were ordered to convert into Christianity or leave the country. With this order, atrocities on Hindus especially Brahmins started. The Hindu Pandit and the Vaidya could not ride on the palanquin. Those who did this were punished. Even they were jailed for this.
- Hindus were encouraged to become Christians. Thousands of Hindus became Christians due to the attainment of State patronage on becoming a Christian and being persecuted for being a Hindu!
- Hindus were forbidden to celebrate on marriage etc. Due to the atrocities of Christian rule, Hindus were forced to flee in large numbers…
- Francis Xavier was very happy to see Hindus converting their places of worship, their idols, while Christianizing them. By threatening thousands of Hindus, killing , burning many lives, confiscating many properties, expelling many people from the state or putting them in jails, Christianity has proved itself to be peaceful and fair !
- The author himself trembles throughout describing the atrocities on Hindus. The tyrannical history of Gauri and Ghajini was revived!
- Ironically, in exchange for the increase in the number of sheep for Jesus Christ, Francis Xavier was awarded the title of Saint by the Christian Society. Francis Xavier’s ashes are preserved in a church in Goa province. They are kept for a few days every year for people’s visit. See the biggest irony, that the Christians of Goa come to pay their respects and visit, whose ancestors were once Hindus and they were made Christians forcefully by this Xavier.
It is indecent to glorify Francis Xavier by ignoring these gory pages of history. We strongly oppose this decision of Goa’s BJP government for Christian appeasement.
Sources:
- Alfredo DeMello, “The Portuguese Inquisition in Goa”
- Viceroy António de Noronha issued in 1566, an order applicable to the entire area under Portuguese rule: “I hereby order that in any area owned by my master, the king , nobody should construct a Hindu temple and such temples already constructed should not be repaired without my permission. If this order is transgressed, such temples shall be destroyed, and the goods in them shall be used to meet expenses of holy deeds, as punishment of such transgression. “
- Priolkar, AK The Goa Inquisition. (Bombay, 1961)
- Shirodhkar, PP, Socio-Cultural life in Goa during the 16th century, p. 35Charles Dellon, L’Inquisition de Goa (The Inquisition of Goa)
- The words Auto da fé reverberated throughout Goa, reminiscent of the furies of Hell, which concept, incidentally does not exist in the Hindu pantheon. On April 1st 1650 for instance, four people were burnt to death, the next auto da fé was on December 14, 1653, when 18 were put to the flames, accused of the crime of heresy. And from the 8th April 1666 until the end of 1679 – during which period Dellon was tried – there were eight autos da fé, inwhich 1208 victims were sentenced. In November 22, 1711 another auto da fé took place involving 41 persons. Another milestone was on December 20, 1736, when the Inquisition burnt an entire family of Raaim, Salcete, destroying their house, putting salt on their land, and placing a stone padrao, which still existed in the place (at least in 1866) – Alfredo De Mello (‘Memoirs of Goa’ Chapter 21)
