Opening of the Silver Coffin at Nova Goa A Nova Goa message of December 3 states The town was full of pilgrims and full of colour on Saturday evening when the Church of Bom Jesus was the scene of great solemnities preliminary to the exposition of the body of St. Francis Xavier.
The Delegate Apostolic, Monsigror Pisani, the Patriarch and other high ecclesiastical dignitaries who had come here from all parts of India proceeded to. the church in solemn procession under the strains of music provided by the military band. The church was already filled with a large and distinguished congregation among whom were the Portuguese Governor - General, Braziliam and other Consular representatives. and Catholic priests. Full vespers were said by the Apostolic Delegate. The> choir organ and orchestra played music during the ceremony. On the conclusion of vespers the body of the Saint was borne down. to the sacristy covered over with q silken pall. Here some more solemn ceremonies were performed. The beautiful silver coffin was opened and the face of the Saint was exposed to a select gathering of dignitaries. This concluded Saturday's ceremonies. The public exposition took place this morning—Sunday—after 12 years, Testifying to the zeal and and devotion of Catholics and the miraculous healing powers associated with the name of Francis Xavier, thousands of pilgrims had already arrived here. Among them were to be found men of all nationalities and faiths. Many of them had come from distant parts of tho*
{rows of devotees reverentially passed by it all day. Among the devotees were many Hindus, who hold the Saint in reverence and were accorded equal privileges with the Catholic pilgrims. Accommodation and other facilities for the pilgrimage are being greatly taxed owing to the unprecedented num-
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.