Friday with Friends!

The Journeys of Francis Xavier: Man, Missionary, and Patron of Goa
Darlene Kasten

On 21 November 2024 the sacred relics of Saint Francis Xavier were removed from their otherwise permanent residence in the Basilica Bom Jesus in Goa, India, and transported in a procession 300 meters to the Se Cathedral where, over the following 43 days, approximately 8 million pilgrims stood in line to venerate them.

How did the remains of this Spanish nobleman, who travelled to Asia as a Jesuit missionary over 500 years ago, end up entombed in Goa? When did they become part of this important decennial ritual event? And how is the legacy of this Roman Catholic saint still relevant in India today?

In this talk, Darlene Kasten approaches these questions as a series of journeys from the life of Saint Francis Xavier and reflects on her recent journey to Goa for the eighteenth exposition.

About the speaker

Darlene holds degrees in mathematics, computer science, and finance, and has worked as a professional fundraiser for environmental non-profits in the US and Africa. She moved to Singapore in 2016 and is now a volunteer docent at the Asian Civilisations Museum where she also served as Docent Training Co-Head, the Malay Heritage Centre, STPI Creative Workshop & Gallery and the Peranakan Museum, in addition to several senior roles with the Friends of the Museum.

A lifelong Roman Catholic, Darlene credits the ACM’s Christian Art Gallery with igniting her interest in the life of Saint Francis Xavier and the history of Christianity in Asia. She has written for PASSAGE magazine and has given docent training lectures on related topics for the Asian Civilisations Museum, Indian Heritage Centre, and the National Museum of Singapore.


This lecture is free. Seats are available on a first-come, first-served basis.


_{Image: Relics of Saint Francis Xavier on display at the eighteenth exposition in 2024. © Se Cathedral, Goa.}

Organised by the Friends of the Museums (FOM) with support from ACM