Question map
Not attempted Correct Incorrect ★ Bookmarked
Loading…
Q19 (IAS/2021) History & Culture › Culture, Literature, Religion & Philosophy › Bhakti, Sufi and Sikh movements Official Key

Consider the following statements : 1. St. Francis Xavier was one of the founding members of the Jesuit Order. 2. St. Francis Xavier died in Goa and a church is dedicated to him there. 3. The Feast of St. Francis Xavier is celebrated in Goa each year. Which of the statements given above are correct?

Result
Your answer: —  ·  Correct: C
Explanation

The correct answer is Option 3 (1 and 3 only) based on the following historical facts:

  • Statement 1 is correct: St. Francis Xavier was a co-founder of the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) in 1540, along with Ignatius of Loyola and others. He was a pioneering missionary who played a crucial role in spreading Christianity in Asia.
  • Statement 2 is incorrect: St. Francis Xavier did not die in Goa. He died in 1552 on Shangchuan Island, China, while waiting for entrance to the mainland. While his mortal remains were later transferred to Goa and are enshrined in the Basilica of Bom Jesus, the location of his death makes this statement false.
  • Statement 3 is correct: The Feast of St. Francis Xavier is a major religious and cultural event celebrated annually in Goa on December 3rd, marking the day he was laid to rest.

Since statements 1 and 3 are historically accurate and statement 2 is factually wrong regarding the place of death, Option 3 is the right choice.

How others answered
Each bar shows the % of students who chose that option. Green bar = correct answer, blue outline = your choice.
Community Performance
Out of everyone who attempted this question.
50%
got it right
PROVENANCE & STUDY PATTERN
Full view
Don’t just practise – reverse-engineer the question. This panel shows where this PYQ came from (books / web), how the examiner broke it into hidden statements, and which nearby micro-concepts you were supposed to learn from it. Treat it like an autopsy of the question: what might have triggered it, which exact lines in the book matter, and what linked ideas you should carry forward to future questions.
Q. Consider the following statements : 1. St. Francis Xavier was one of the founding members of the Jesuit Order. 2. St. Francis Xavier died…
At a glance
Origin: Books + Current Affairs Fairness: Low / Borderline fairness Books / CA: 2.5/10 · 5/10

This is a classic 'Precision Trap'. Statement 1 is standard World History (NCERT/TN Board), but Statement 2 exploits the confusion between 'Burial Place' (Goa) and 'Death Place' (China). It tests if you know the specific legend of the saint rather than just his general association with India.

How this question is built

This question can be broken into the following sub-statements. Tap a statement sentence to jump into its detailed analysis.

Statement 1
Was St. Francis Xavier one of the founding members of the Society of Jesus (Jesuit Order)?
Origin: Direct from books Fairness: Straightforward Book-answerable
From standard books
History , class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 10: Modern World: The Age of Reason > The Society of Jesus > p. 142
Presence: 5/5
“The Catholic religion watched the rise of the Protestant movement with caution and concern. Just about the time Martin Luther was gaining in popularity, a new Church order was started by a Ignatius of Loyola Spaniard, Ignatius of Loyola in Paris, France, on 15 August 1534, when he and six university students pledged to keep vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience and to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. One of the students was Francis Xavier, who later became a missionary to India and Japan. This society aimed at training people.”
Why this source?
  • Explicitly records Ignatius of Loyola founding a new order in Paris on 15 August 1534 when he and six university students pledged vows.
  • Identifies Francis Xavier as one of those students who pledged with Ignatius, implying he was part of the original group that started the order.
Themes in world history, History Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 5: Changing Cultural Traditions > Debates within Christianity > p. 118
Presence: 4/5
“Eventually, in France, as in many other parts of Europe, the Catholic Church allowed Protestants to worship as they chose. In England, the rulers ended the connection with the Pope. The king/queen was from then onwards the head of the Church. The Catholic Church itself did not escape the impact of these ideas, and began to reform itself from within. In Spain and in Italy, churchmen emphasised the need for a simple life and service to the poor. In Spain, Ignatius Loyola, in an attempt to combat Protestantism, set up the Society of Jesus in 1540. His followers were called Jesuits, whose mission was to serve the poor and to widen their knowledge of other cultures.”
Why this source?
  • States that Ignatius Loyola set up the Society of Jesus (Jesuits) to combat Protestantism, giving institutional context to the 1534 foundation.
  • Notes that Ignatius' followers were called Jesuits, linking the group of early companions to the formally established Society.
Statement 2
Did St. Francis Xavier die in Goa?
Origin: Weak / unclear Fairness: Borderline / guessy
Indirect textbook clues
History , class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 10: Modern World: The Age of Reason > The Society of Jesus > p. 142
Strength: 4/5
“The Catholic religion watched the rise of the Protestant movement with caution and concern. Just about the time Martin Luther was gaining in popularity, a new Church order was started by a Ignatius of Loyola Spaniard, Ignatius of Loyola in Paris, France, on 15 August 1534, when he and six university students pledged to keep vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience and to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. One of the students was Francis Xavier, who later became a missionary to India and Japan. This society aimed at training people.”
Why relevant

Identifies Francis Xavier as one of the Society of Jesus members who became a missionary to India and Japan, linking him to Jesuit activity in the region.

How to extend

A student could check Jesuit operational bases in India (e.g., Goa) and biographies of Xavier to see where Jesuits in India were based and where he spent his final years.

History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 14: The Mughal Empire > Christianity > p. 216
Strength: 3/5
“Along with the European traders came the Christian missionaries like Roberto De Nobili, Francis Xavier. The early missionaries were Catholics. The first Lutheran missionaries under Danish patronage arrived in 1706 at Tranquebar and Ziegenbalg translated the New Testament of the Bible into Tamil in 1714, and soon the Old Testament as well. The Mughal Empire 216”
Why relevant

Lists Francis Xavier among the early Catholic missionaries who accompanied European traders into India, implying he was active on the Indian subcontinent.

How to extend

Combine this with a map of missionary routes and Portuguese bases to identify likely towns (such as Goa) where early missionaries lived or returned to.

Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 3: Advent of the Europeans in India > Religious Policy of the Portuguese > p. 29
Strength: 4/5
“In September 1579, Akbar forwarded a letter to the authorities at Goa requesting them to send two learned priests. The Church authorities in Goa eagerly accepted the invitation, seeing in it a chance to convert the emperor to Christianity, and with him his court and the people. Jesuit fathers, Rodolfo Aquaviva and Antonio Monserrate were selected for the purpose. When they reached Fatehpur Sikri on February 28, 1580, they were received with honour.”
Why relevant

Shows that the Church authorities in Goa were an organizing center for Jesuit missions (they selected and sent Jesuit fathers to the Mughal court).

How to extend

Use this pattern—Goa as an administrative hub for Jesuit missions—to hypothesize that prominent Jesuits might have been based in or returned to Goa, prompting checks of death-place records.

History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 16: The Coming of the Europeans > Consolidation of the Portuguese Trade > p. 249
Strength: 3/5
“by the Sultan of Egypt. He befriended the ruler of Cochin and built fortresses at Cochin, Kannur and other places on the Malabar coast. Albuquerque (1509-1515), the successor of Almeida, was the real founder of the Portuguese empire in India. He defeated Yusuf Adil Khan, the ruler of Bijapur, in 1510 and captured Goa. He developed Goa into a centre of commerce by making all the ships sail on that route. He encouraged people of all faiths to settle in Goa. He was in favour of Europeans marrying Indian women and settling down in Portuguese controlled territories. His conquest of Malacca (in Malaysia), held by the Muslims who commanded the trade route between India-China and Mecca and Cairo, extended the empire.”
Why relevant

States Albuquerque captured and developed Goa into a centre of commerce and encouraged settlers of various faiths, indicating Goa was a stable Portuguese headquarters attractive to Europeans and missionaries.

How to extend

A student could infer that many Portuguese-era missionaries used Goa as their base and therefore investigate whether Xavier's final activities or death were centered there.

History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 16: The Coming of the Europeans > Introduction > p. 243
Strength: 4/5
“Subsequently, the Portuguese conquered Goa on the west. Coast in 1510. Goa then became the political headquarters for the Portuguese in India and further east in Malacca and Java. The Portuguese perfected a pattern of controlling the Indian Ocean trade through a combination of political aggressiveness and naval superiority. Their forts at Daman and Diu enabled them to control the shipping in the Arabian Sea, using their well armed ships.”
Why relevant

Explicitly calls Goa the political headquarters for the Portuguese in India and further east, implying institutional and logistical support for mission activity was concentrated there.

How to extend

Combine this fact with missionary biographies and travel routes to evaluate the likelihood that a leading missionary associated with Portuguese efforts might have died in or near Goa.

Statement 3
Is there a church in Goa dedicated to St. Francis Xavier?
Origin: Web / Current Affairs Fairness: CA heavy Web-answerable

Web source
Presence: 4/5
"Every year, the people of Goa pay homage to the Lord of Goa “Goencho Saib" by Goans and people around the world. On December 3, the Feast of St Francis Xavier is celebrated in Goa. The mortals of the Saint were kept in a silver casket in 1637 at the Basilica of Bom Jesus in Old Goa, which was constructed by Goan silversmiths."
Why this source?
  • Passage explicitly links St. Francis Xavier to Goa and describes an annual feast celebrated there.
  • It names the Basilica of Bom Jesus in Old Goa as the location where the saint's remains were placed, indicating a major church in Goa associated with him.

History , class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 10: Modern World: The Age of Reason > The Society of Jesus > p. 142
Strength: 5/5
“The Catholic religion watched the rise of the Protestant movement with caution and concern. Just about the time Martin Luther was gaining in popularity, a new Church order was started by a Ignatius of Loyola Spaniard, Ignatius of Loyola in Paris, France, on 15 August 1534, when he and six university students pledged to keep vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience and to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. One of the students was Francis Xavier, who later became a missionary to India and Japan. This society aimed at training people.”
Why relevant

Identifies Francis Xavier as a prominent Jesuit missionary who worked in India, implying he is a notable Catholic figure relevant to missionary activity.

How to extend

A student could note that prominent missionaries are often commemorated by churches and then check Goa church lists or maps for dedications to him.

Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 3: Advent of the Europeans in India > Religious Policy of the Portuguese > p. 29
Strength: 4/5
“In September 1579, Akbar forwarded a letter to the authorities at Goa requesting them to send two learned priests. The Church authorities in Goa eagerly accepted the invitation, seeing in it a chance to convert the emperor to Christianity, and with him his court and the people. Jesuit fathers, Rodolfo Aquaviva and Antonio Monserrate were selected for the purpose. When they reached Fatehpur Sikri on February 28, 1580, they were received with honour.”
Why relevant

Mentions Jesuit fathers being based out of Goa and carrying out missions in India, showing Goa as an active Jesuit centre.

How to extend

Combine this with knowledge that Jesuit centres commonly build churches honoring their saints to justify searching Goa for a church named after Francis Xavier.

INDIA PEOPLE AND ECONOMY, TEXTBOOK IN GEOGRAPHY FOR CLASS XII (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 1: Population: Distribution, Density, Growth and Composition > Religion and Landscape > p. 11
Strength: 4/5
“Formal expression of religions on landscape is manifested through sacred structures, use of cemetries and assemblages of plants and animals, groves of trees for religious purposes. Sacred structures are widely distributed throughout the country. These may range from inconspicuous village shrines to large Hindu temples, monumental masjids or ornately designed cathedrals in large metropolitan cities. These temples, masjids, gurudwaras, monastries and churches differ in size, form, space – use and density, while attributing a special dimension to the total landscape of the area. The Christian population is distributed mostly in rural areas of the country. The main concentration is observed along the Western coast around Goa, Kerala and also in the hill states of Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Chotanagpur area and Hills of Manipur.”
Why relevant

States the main concentration of Christian population is along the Western coast around Goa, indicating many churches and Christian institutions exist there.

How to extend

Use a map or directory of Goan churches (given the high Christian presence) to look specifically for a church dedicated to St. Francis Xavier.

Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 3: Advent of the Europeans in India > Significance of the Portuguese > p. 35
Strength: 3/5
“However, it cannot be forgotten that the missionaries and the Church were also teachers and patrons in India of the arts of the painter, carver, and sculptor. As in music, they were the interpreters, not just of Portuguese, but of European art to India. The art of the silversmith and goldsmith flourished at Goa, and the place became a centre of elaborate filigree work, fretted foliage work and metal work embedding jewels. However, though the interior of churches built under the Portuguese have plenty of woodwork and sculpture and sometimes painted ceilings, they are generally simple in their architectural plan.”
Why relevant

Describes Portuguese-built churches in Goa and their role in European religious and artistic expression, implying many named Catholic churches exist there.

How to extend

Given numerous Portuguese-era churches in Goa, search heritage or tourist records of those churches for dedications to prominent saints like Francis Xavier.

Exploring Society:India and Beyond ,Social Science, Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 4: The Colonial Era in India > GDP: > p. 88
Strength: 3/5
“Alongside commercial exploitation, the Portuguese presence in western India was characterised by religious persecution. In Goa, they established the Inquisition in 1560, which severely persecuted Hindus, Muslims, Jews, and Christian converts suspected of practising their original faith. Such Fig. 4.4. A plaque in Kozhikode marking Vasco da Gama's arrival in 1498 Inquisition: A tribunal set up by the Roman Catholic Church to judge heretics (i.e. Christians suspected of holding opinions contrary to the Church's doctrine). Over some 600 years, across Europe many thousands of supposed heretics were tortured and executed.”
Why relevant

Notes the strong Roman Catholic institutional presence in Goa (Inquisition establishment), indicating an environment where churches and saint veneration were significant.

How to extend

A student could infer such a Catholic institutional history makes it plausible for churches to be dedicated to leading Catholic figures and then verify with local sources or maps.

Statement 4
Is the Feast of St. Francis Xavier celebrated annually in Goa?
Origin: Web / Current Affairs Fairness: CA heavy Web-answerable

Web source
Presence: 5/5
"Every year, the people of Goa pay homage to the Lord of Goa “Goencho Saib" by Goans and people around the world. On December 3, the Feast of St Francis Xavier is celebrated in Goa."
Why this source?
  • Explicitly states the celebration occurs 'Every year'.
  • Gives the specific date: 'On December 3, the Feast of St Francis Xavier is celebrated in Goa.'
  • Notes people visit from around the world for the death anniversary, implying an annual observance.
Web source
Presence: 4/5
"Feast of Saint Francis Xavier 2021: All You Need to Know About Annual Event in Goa The Feast of St Francis is celebrated at the Basilica of Bom Jesus, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site."
Why this source?
  • Article title names it an 'Annual Event in Goa'.
  • Specifies the local venue where the feast is celebrated (Basilica of Bom Jesus in Goa).

History , class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 10: Modern World: The Age of Reason > The Society of Jesus > p. 142
Strength: 5/5
“The Catholic religion watched the rise of the Protestant movement with caution and concern. Just about the time Martin Luther was gaining in popularity, a new Church order was started by a Ignatius of Loyola Spaniard, Ignatius of Loyola in Paris, France, on 15 August 1534, when he and six university students pledged to keep vows of chastity, poverty, and obedience and to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem. One of the students was Francis Xavier, who later became a missionary to India and Japan. This society aimed at training people.”
Why relevant

Identifies Francis Xavier as a Jesuit who became a missionary to India, linking him personally to Indian Christian history.

How to extend

A student could use this to infer that local communities connected to his mission (e.g., in Goa) might commemorate him with a feast and then check local calendars or church traditions.

Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 3: Advent of the Europeans in India > Religious Policy of the Portuguese > p. 29
Strength: 4/5
“In September 1579, Akbar forwarded a letter to the authorities at Goa requesting them to send two learned priests. The Church authorities in Goa eagerly accepted the invitation, seeing in it a chance to convert the emperor to Christianity, and with him his court and the people. Jesuit fathers, Rodolfo Aquaviva and Antonio Monserrate were selected for the purpose. When they reached Fatehpur Sikri on February 28, 1580, they were received with honour.”
Why relevant

Describes Jesuit activity centred on Goa and interactions between Goa's Church authorities and other rulers, showing Goa was an active Jesuit/Christian centre.

How to extend

One could extend this by noting that major Christian figures associated with active missionary centres are often venerated there, so students could look for annual local commemorations in Goa.

Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 3: Advent of the Europeans in India > The Portuguese > p. 56
Strength: 4/5
“Vasco Da Gama discovered sea route to India in 1498. • Vasco's second visit in 1502 led to the establishment of trading stations at Calicut, Cochin and Cannanore.• Francisco de Almeida (1505-09) First governor, initiated the blue water policy (cartaze system).• Alfonso de Albuquerque (1509-1515) Considered to be the founder of the Portuguese power in India: captured Goa from Bijapur; persecuted Muslims; captured Bhatkal from Sri Krishna Deva Rai (1510) of Vijayanagara; and initiated the policy of marrying with the natives of India and banned the practice of sati in his area of influence.• Nino da Cunha (1529-38) shifted the capital from Cochin to Goa in 1530.”
Why relevant

States that the Portuguese captured and made Goa their capital, implying a long-standing Portuguese/Catholic institutional presence in Goa.

How to extend

From the strong Portuguese Catholic presence, a student could reasonably expect Catholic feast days linked to notable missionaries to be observed in Goa and then verify with regional festival lists.

Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 3: Advent of the Europeans in India > The Portuguese in India > p. 34
Strength: 3/5
“the Portuguese possessions fell to its opponents. Goa which remained with the Portuguese had lost its importance as a port after the fall of the Vijayanagara empire and soon it did not matter in whose possession it was. The spice trade came under the control of the Dutch, and Goa was superseded by Brazil as the economic centre of the overseas empire of Portugal. In 1683, after two naval assaults, the Marathas invaded Goa.”
Why relevant

Notes Portuguese control and continued significance of Goa within the Portuguese overseas empire, reinforcing the idea of entrenched Catholic traditions.

How to extend

Using this pattern, a student could predict that saints important to Portuguese missionary history might be celebrated in former Portuguese strongholds like Goa and check local liturgical or civic festival schedules.

Exploring Society:India and Beyond. Social Science-Class VI . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 8: Unity in Diversity, or 'Many in the One' > LET'S EXPLORE > p. 132
Strength: 3/5
“• • Æ What is your favourite festival and how is it celebrated in your region? Do you know whether it is celebrated in any other part of India, maybe under a different name?”
Why relevant

Points out that festivals vary by region and may be celebrated in different parts of India under different names, highlighting that regional celebration of a feast is plausible.

How to extend

A student could apply this general rule to look for the Feast of St. Francis Xavier specifically in Goa's regional festival listings or church calendars rather than assuming a national observance.

Pattern takeaway: UPSC blends 'Static World History' (Jesuit origins) with 'Indian Art & Culture' (Goa festivals). The key differentiator is biographical precision—knowing the difference between where a figure died versus where they are venerated.
How you should have studied
  1. [THE VERDICT]: Trap (Statement 2). Source: TN Class XII History (Statement 1) + General Cultural Knowledge (Statement 3).
  2. [THE CONCEPTUAL TRIGGER]: Advent of Europeans in India > Portuguese Religious Policy > The Jesuits.
  3. [THE HORIZONTAL EXPANSION]: 1. Founder: Ignatius of Loyola (1534). 2. Xavier's Arrival in India: 1542. 3. Actual Death Place: Sancian Island (China), 1552. 4. Burial Place: Basilica of Bom Jesus, Old Goa (UNESCO Site). 5. First Printing Press in India: Brought by Jesuits to Goa (1556). 6. Inquisition in Goa: Established 1560.
  4. [THE STRATEGIC METACOGNITION]: When studying historical personalities, distinguish between 'Place of Work', 'Place of Death', and 'Place of Memorial'. The 'Incorruptible Body' legend of Xavier relies on the fact that he died far away and was transported back.
Concept hooks from this question
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S1
👉 Founding of the Society of Jesus (1534; papal approval 1540)
💡 The insight

The Society began with Ignatius of Loyola and a small group of university companions in 1534 and was later established as the Jesuit order.

High-yield for questions on the Counter-Reformation and institutional responses to Protestantism; connects to timelines of religious reform and to biographies of key Catholic reformers. Mastery helps answer origin, date, and founder identification questions and situates Jesuit activity in broader early modern history.

📚 Reading List :
  • History , class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 10: Modern World: The Age of Reason > The Society of Jesus > p. 142
  • Themes in world history, History Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 5: Changing Cultural Traditions > Debates within Christianity > p. 118
🔗 Anchor: "Was St. Francis Xavier one of the founding members of the Society of Jesus (Jesu..."
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S1
👉 Francis Xavier as an early Jesuit and missionary
💡 The insight

Francis Xavier was one of Ignatius' early companions and subsequently became a leading missionary in India and Japan.

Important for questions linking European missionary activity to colonial encounters and cultural exchange in Asia; connects leadership within religious orders to their missionary expansion and local impacts. Enables answers on personnel, roles, and regional missionary histories.

📚 Reading List :
  • History , class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 10: Modern World: The Age of Reason > The Society of Jesus > p. 142
  • History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 14: The Mughal Empire > Christianity > p. 216
🔗 Anchor: "Was St. Francis Xavier one of the founding members of the Society of Jesus (Jesu..."
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S1
👉 Jesuit objectives: education, service, and combating Protestantism
💡 The insight

The Jesuits emphasized education and service to the poor as tools to strengthen Catholicism and respond to Protestant challenges.

Useful for essays and prelims on Counter-Reformation strategies, the role of religious orders in social policy, and the spread of Western education; links religious reform to institutional tactics and long-term cultural influence.

📚 Reading List :
  • History , class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 10: Modern World: The Age of Reason > The Society of Jesus > p. 143
  • Themes in world history, History Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 5: Changing Cultural Traditions > Debates within Christianity > p. 118
🔗 Anchor: "Was St. Francis Xavier one of the founding members of the Society of Jesus (Jesu..."
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S2
👉 Goa as the Portuguese political and commercial headquarters from 1510
💡 The insight

Goa functioned as the main Portuguese centre in India after its capture in 1510, making it a primary base for colonial administration and operations.

High-yield for questions on early European presence in India: explains why Goa appears frequently in questions on colonial strategy, trade routes, and missionary activity. Connects to topics on colonial urban centres, maritime dominance, and treaty relations with Indian states.

📚 Reading List :
  • History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 16: The Coming of the Europeans > Consolidation of the Portuguese Trade > p. 249
  • History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 16: The Coming of the Europeans > Introduction > p. 243
  • Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 3: Advent of the Europeans in India > Portuguese State > p. 28
🔗 Anchor: "Did St. Francis Xavier die in Goa?"
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S2
👉 Jesuit missionary activity in India (including Francis Xavier)
💡 The insight

Jesuits such as Francis Xavier were prominent missionaries to India and Japan, representing the Catholic missionary push tied to Portuguese expansion.

Important for questions on cultural and religious impact of European arrival: helps explain patterns of conversion, missionary networks, and interactions with local polities. Links to society of Jesus, missionary biographies, and the role of religion in colonial policy.

📚 Reading List :
  • History , class XI (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 14: The Mughal Empire > Christianity > p. 216
  • History , class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 10: Modern World: The Age of Reason > The Society of Jesus > p. 142
🔗 Anchor: "Did St. Francis Xavier die in Goa?"
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S2
👉 Portuguese religious diplomacy and Jesuit missions to Mughal courts
💡 The insight

Portuguese Church authorities and Jesuit fathers were engaged in diplomatic and missionary missions to Mughal rulers, showing institutional outreach beyond coastal settlements.

Useful for framing questions on Indo-European diplomatic and religious exchanges: clarifies how missionaries were used in statecraft, the limits of conversion, and connections between coastal bases like Goa and inland courts.

📚 Reading List :
  • Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 3: Advent of the Europeans in India > Religious Policy of the Portuguese > p. 29
  • Rajiv Ahir. A Brief History of Modern India (2019 ed.). SPECTRUM. > Chapter 3: Advent of the Europeans in India > The Portuguese in India > p. 30
🔗 Anchor: "Did St. Francis Xavier die in Goa?"
📌 Adjacent topic to master
S3
👉 Jesuit missions and Francis Xavier
💡 The insight

Francis Xavier was a Jesuit missionary active in India and Japan and a central figure in early Catholic missionary work.

High-yield for questions on missionary networks, cultural exchange, and the role of religious orders in colonial India. Connects to topics on conversion, education, and diplomatic religious missions to Indian courts, enabling analysis of missionary impact on society and policy.

📚 Reading List :
  • History , class XII (Tamilnadu state board 2024 ed.) > Chapter 10: Modern World: The Age of Reason > The Society of Jesus > p. 142
🔗 Anchor: "Is there a church in Goa dedicated to St. Francis Xavier?"
🌑 The Hidden Trap

The First Printing Press in India (1556). It was brought by the Jesuits to Goa. This is the 'technological sibling' to the religious fact of St. Francis Xavier, appearing in the same chapters on Portuguese contributions.

⚡ Elimination Cheat Code

Apply the 'Relic Logic'. If a saint is famous for an 'incorruptible body' kept in a casket (Statement 3 implies a feast/veneration of remains), the miracle narrative usually involves the body being transported from a distant land without decaying. If he simply died in Goa, the 'miracle of the journey' wouldn't exist. Thus, Statement 2 (Died in Goa) is likely false. Eliminating 2 removes Options A, B, and D. Answer is C.

🔗 Mains Connection

Mains GS1 (Indian Society/Secularism) & GS2 (Polity): The 'Goencho Saib' feast is a syncretic event attended by people of all faiths, reflecting India's composite culture. Also links to the 'Goa Civil Code' (Uniform Civil Code), a legacy of the Portuguese legal system mentioned in these historical contexts.

✓ Thank you! We'll review this.

SIMILAR QUESTIONS

NDA-I · 2010 · Q11 Relevance score: 2.19

Consider the following paragraph and identify with the help of the code given below the Church referred to therein : Considered as one of the best examples of baroque architecture in India, this World Heritage Monument is dedicated to Infant Jesus. It houses the sacred relics of St. Francis Xavier, the patron saint, who died in 155 2. Code:

IAS · 2004 · Q24 Relevance score: 1.23

Consider the following statements: 1. The Chinese pilgrim Fa-Hien attended the fourth Great Buddhist Council held by Kanishka. 2. The Chinese pilgrim Huen-Tsangmet Harsha and found him to be antagonistic to Buddhism. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

CAPF · 2020 · Q78 Relevance score: 1.21

Consider the following statements about the Lingayats: 1. They bury their dead 2. They are great believers in the caste system, especially in the theory of purity and pollution 3. They are against child marriage and favour widow remarriage Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?

NDA-I · 2016 · Q92 Relevance score: 0.60

Consider the following statements : 1. Warren Hastings set up the. Calcutta Madrassa for the study and teaching of Muslim law related subjects. 2. Jonathan Duncan started a Sanskrit College at Varanasi for the study of Hindu law and philosophy. Which of the statements given above is/are correct ?