Early Life

Gonsalo Garcia was born Gundi Slavus Garcia to a Portuguese father and a Canarese mother in Bassein (Vasai) on February 5, 1557. He studied at the Jesuit school near Bassein Fort under Fr. Sebastian Gonçalves for eight years, learning grammar, philosophy, and Roman history. At age 15, Fr. Sebastian took him to **Japan** where he became a popular catechist.

Missionary & Merchant Work

Gonsalo Garcia initially worked in trade at **Alcao**, expanding his business across Southeast Asia. Later, he moved to **Manila** in the Philippines as a lay missionary and joined the **Seraphic Order as a lay brother** under Fr. Peter Baptista. He worked with leprosy patients and was formally ordained as a Franciscan friar.

In 1592, he accompanied Fr. Baptista on a diplomatic mission to Japan, using his language skills to spread Christianity.

Death & Martyrdom

On **February 5, 1597**, Garcia was crucified on **Nagasaki Hills** with 26 companions. He was the first to be nailed to the cross and sang praises of God while being executed. Witnesses noted the bravery and faith he exhibited at the time of his death.

Veneration

Declared Venerable in 1627, and **canonized in 1862**, Garcia became the **first Catholic saint of India**. The Gonsalo Garcia Church in Vasai was built in 1942 and renovated in 1957, where a week-long feast is held in his honor every February.

Legacy

Garcia is the **patron saint of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Vasai**. His life continues to inspire universal charity, missionary zeal, and devotion. His veneration spread globally, including Brazil, highlighting his Indian ancestry.