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The territory of Goa in south India was a colony of Portugal. Fr. Antonio who was a Roman Catholic [[priest ]] at the time, opposed the ‘Concordot’ of the [[Pope ]] and interference of the Government in the Church Administration. His pro-Independence periodicals which were also critical of the Roman Catholic Church were banned.

Antonio Francisco Xavier Alvares was ordained [[consecration of a bishop|consecrated]] as the first Orthodox Metropolitan of Goa-Ceylon in 1889 AD by Paulose Mar Athanasious and [[w:Gheevarghese Mar Gregorios of Parumala|Gheevarghese Mar Gregorios of Parumala]] at the [[w:Orthodox Pazhaya Seminary|Orthodox Pazhaya Seminary]].

After joining the Orthodox Church , Mar Alvares was [[excommunication|excommunicated ]] by the Roman Catholic Church. He was excommunicated, stripped naked and paraded through the streets,<ref>[http://www.stalvares.com/docs/about.php His Grace ALVARES MAR JULIUS Metropolitan.]</ref> and was persecuted by the Roman Catholic Church and the Portuguese Government. Though he was advised by some of his old friends to reunite with the Roman Catholic Church, especially when he was very sick, he refused and stuck to his Orthodox faith. For the common people he was a true Missionary, a patriot, and an apostle of charity.

Presently there are about 700 families in Goa in this self-governing part of Indian Orthodox Church. The''Orthodox Church of Goa'' has survived almost a century after the death of Bishop Alvares (+1923), and the Brahmavar mission still remains as a symbol of his work.