Catholics in Goa have joined the Catholics of Sri Lanka in the expectation of the canonization of Blessed Joseph Vaz, a 17th century priest born in Goa.

In a recent event to officially announce Pope Francis’s visit to the island, Sri Lanka’s Cardinal Malcolm Ranjith stated that Blessed Joseph Vaz could be canonized during the Pope’s visit. Pope Francis will visit Sri Lanka during January 13-15, 2014.

If Blessed Joseph Vaz is to be canonized, he will be the first saint in both Goa and Sri Lanka.

"Catholics in Goa and Sri Lanka are hoping that the canonisation of Blessed Joseph Vaz will happen as soon as possible. We have been hoping for a long time," the secretary to the Archbishop in Goa, Fr. Joaquim Loiola Pereira, has told IANS.

"The archbishop (said) he hopes the final approval for the miracle that will clear the way for the sainthood of Blessed Joseph Vaz will be completed in time for an open Mass at Colombo's Galle Face Green during which the canonisation can be completed," the report said further.

"We have no intimation that it will happen during the Pope's visit to Sri Lanka. We would not wish to speculate on the likelihood or not because it is not in our hands," Pereira said.

Goa has a 26 percent Catholic population and was one of the early South Asian regions to have embraced Christianity after being colonized by the Portuguese in the early 16th century.

Blessed Joseph Vaz was born in Goa in 1651 before leaving for Sri Lanka in 1687. He died there in 1711.

As a result of his labors, Vaz is known as the Apostle of Ceylon. On 21 January 1995, he was beatified by Pope John Paul II in Colombo. Pope Francis’s visit will be the first one by a Pope to the island nation after Pope John Paul II visited the country.