The Basilica of Bom Jesus or Borea Jezuchi Bajilika is located in Goa, India, and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The basilica holds the mortal remains of St. Francis Xavier. The church is located in Old Goa, which was the capital of Goa in the early days of Portuguese rules.’Bom Jesus’ is the name used for the Ecce Homo in the countries of Portuguese colonization. The Jesuit church is India’s first minor basilica, and is considered to be one of the best examples of baroque architecture in India.HistoryConstruction work on the church began in 1594. The church was consecrated in May 1605 by the archbishop, Dom Fr. Aleixo de Menezes. This world heritage monument has emerged as a landmark in the history of Christianity. It contains the body of St. Francis Xavier, a very close friend of St. Ignatius Loyola with whom he founded the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits). Francis Xavier died on Sancian Island while en route to continental China on (December 2, 1552).
Millennium Park is a private park in Kolkata, situated along the Strand Road on eastern shore of Hooghly River for a stretch of 2.5 km near Fairlie Ghat and opposite to Railway Club. The park consists of landscaped gardens and children’s amusement rides. It was opened along the riverside to provide a green area for Kolkata’s polluted waterway. It is a millennium gift from Kolkata Metropolitan Development Authority (KMDA/CMDA) inaugurated on 26 December 1999. The park is part of the first phases of the Kolkata Riverside Beautification Project. The park is open from 11am-8pm.
St. John’s Church, originally a cathedral, was among the first public buildings erected by the East India Company after Kolkata became the effective capital of British India. Located at the North – Western corner of Raj Bhavan construction of the St. John’s Church started in 1784, with Rs 30,000 raised through a public lottery, and was completed in 1787. St. John’s Church is the third oldest church in Calcutta (Kolkata) only next to the Armenian and the Old Mission Church. St. John’s Church served as the Anglican Cathedral of Calcutta (Kolkata) till 1847 when it was transferred to St. Paul’s Cathedral. St. John’s Church was modeled according to the St Martin-in-the-Fields of London.History & ArchitectureThe land for the St. John’s Church was donated by the Maharaja Nabo Kishen Bahadur the founder of the Shovabazar RajFamily.The foundation stone was laid by Warren Hastings, the Governor General of India on 6 April 1784. Two marble plaques at the entrance of the St. John’s Church mark the two historic events.Built by architect James Agg the St John’s church is built with a combination of brick and stone and was commonly known as the “Pathure Girja” (Stone Church). Stone was a rare material in the late 18th century Kolkata. The stones came from the medieval ruins of Gour, and were shipped down the Hooghly River. The minutes book in the church office tell in detail the story of how the ruins of Gaur were robbed to build St John’s church.
