TEAM HERALD
PORVORIM: Hundreds of people from different walks of life attended the feast of Milagres at Jerome’s Church in Mapusa with traditional fervour on Monday.
After the morning mass, procession of Mother Mary was taken out in which large number of devotees participated. The festivities are spread over three days with several cultural activities.
Masses were celebrated inside a specially erected pandal outside the church and Rector of Rachol Seminary Fr Aleixo Menezes was the main celebrant at the feast mass.
In his homily, Fr Menezes highlighted the qualities of Mother Mary and said Mother Mary is the model of love and affection. He urged the congregation to live a good life which would please God.
‘Milagres Saibinn’ is also believed to cure ailments and many devotees from different religious communities make vows, pour coconut oil over the statue of Our Lady of Milagres and offer wax figurines in repayment of favours received by them. The Hindus consider ‘Milagres Saibinn’ as the sister of Hindu deity ‘Lairaee’ in Shirgao.
The main attraction of the Mapusa feast is the fair, which is popular for furniture items.
The parallel roads on either side of the St Jerome’s Church were crowded with people buying furniture and different household items, sweets, grinding stones, etc.
Mapusa Church Parish Priest Fr Francis D’Mello stated that Milagres feast is considered to be one of the unique manifestations of strong bond of communal harmony between Catholics and Hindus in the State.
“The church feast falls on Monday following the third week of Easter. People from different parts of the State attend this feast to seek the blessings of ‘Milagres Saibinn’. Hindus consider ‘Milagres Saibinn’ as the sister of Hindu deity ‘Lairaee’ in Shirgao,” said Fr D’Mello.
