10 of Asia’s most magnificent Christian churches, from South Korea and Singapore to Macau and Myanmar
- Asia has no shortage of historical buildings and among them stand the legacies of pioneering Christians from Europe
- Here are 10 of the most noteworthy Christian churches in Asia, from the Basilica of Bom Jesus in India to St Dominic’s Church in Macau
Temple-hopping is a popular tourist activity in Asia, but the continent also has a long-standing relationship with Christianity, embodied by magnificent churches in cities from Bangkok to Seoul.
Here are 10 of the most noteworthy.
1. Basilica of Bom Jesus – Goa, India
When Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama landed in Kerala in 1498, he spearheaded 500 years of European colonialism across Asia, spread Christianity in India and paved the way for the creation of Old Goa, now a Unesco World Heritage site.
Tourists flock to Goa largely for its coastline and seaside resorts. But 15km (nine miles) inland from popular Candolim beach stands Old Goa, or Velha Goa, the former capital of the Portuguese East Indies.
Some of its Christian sites date as far back as 1510. The most revered is the Basilica of Bom Jesus, a hulking structure built in 1605. Sporting a red-brick facade, it is one of the only churches in Goa not covered by plaster.
What makes this basilica such an important Christian site, however, is the tomb within. It houses Spanish missionary St Francis Xavier, who arguably did more to spread Christianity in Asia than any other person.
