The auspicious Procession of Saints or ‘Santanchem Pursanv’ was profoundly celebrated at St Andrew’s Church, Goa Velha on Monday. The procession drew huge crowds during the penitential season of Lent. Thousands of devotees from different walks of life, irrespective of religion and including foreign visitors, took part in this solemn procession.
On Monday the Penitential Procession of Saints, popularly known as ‘Santanchem Pursanv’, was observed at Goa Velha with thousands of devotees from the village and other parts of the State participating in the unique traditional service. This procession takes place in the fifth week of Lent. Around 31 life-sized statues of saints were taken out from the St Andrew’s Church. These statues were then taken around the village in a procession and later they were brought back to the Church.
The statues of the saints, placed on special charols (a kind of palanquin) are taken around in a grand procession along a fixed route. During the procession, the life of each saint is read out aloud. Prayers are recited and hymns are sung all throughout the route. At regular stops, devotees walk under the charols as they believe that they will be blessed and their sins forgiven.
After the procession ends, the life-size statues are lined up inside the church and kept for public veneration for the next two days. This traditional procession has been held since the 17th century by the Franciscan Order in Goa.