2012 Media Releases

Extremely Rare Relic of Saint Francis Xavier in Melbourne

Sunday 7 October 2012

A treasured holy relic of St Francis Xavier (1506 – 1552), arrives in Melbourne Sunday 7 October as part of a national pilgrimage to 23 Australian cities.

It is extremely rare for the relic, the right forearm of the saint, to leave the Church of the Gesu in Rome, which is the mother church of the Jesuits. The Church of the Gesu has housed the right arm of St Francis Xavier since 1641.

Devotion to holy relics is a venerable tradition in the Catholic Church.

St Francis Xavier baptised thousands of people into the Catholic faith during his travels in India, Indonesia, Singapore, Philippines, Malaysia and Japan. The descendants from their communities are now part of the Catholic community in Australia. They have a great devotion to St Francis Xavier.

Sunday 7 October	10:30am	St Francis Xavier Catholic Church Frankston	Mass - with large multicultural community
	2:30pm	Monash University Clayton Campus Building 9 Wellington Road	Goan Community Mass
	5:10pm	Monash University Clayton Campus Building 9 Wellington Road	Campus Mass
	9:00pm	All Saints Church 174 Brunswick Street Fitzroy	Overnight Vigil
Monday 8 October	9:00am	All Saints Church 174 Brunswick Street Fitzroy	Mass
	12:00pm	St Francis Xavier Church 1087 Whitehorse Road Box Hill	Mass
Tuesday 9 October	4:00pm	St Francis Xavier Church 86 Mayona Road Montmorency	Afternoon Program
	7:00pm	St Francis Xavier Church 86 Mayona Road Montmorency	Evening Vigil
Wednesday 10 October	7:00pm	Holy Eucharist Church 1A Oleander Drive St Albans South	Evening Vigil
Thursday 11 October	11:00am	St Mary’s Geelong 150 Yarra Street	Mass
	3:00pm	Relic departs Archdiocese of Melbourne

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