The feast of Epiphany, also known as the Three Kings Feast, is celebrated every year at
Cansaulim with great reverence and devotion. The feast of Epiphany, which
commemorates the self manifestation of Jesus, will be celebrated at the chapel
of Nossa Senhora dos Remedios at Cuelim Cansaulim today, January 6, 2019.
Three young boys from the villages of Cansaulim, Arossim and
Cuelim are selected to enact the Three Kings, also known as the Magi or the
Wise Men from the East, who followed the guiding star to worship the Child
Jesus over 2000 years ago. These boys travel on horseback through three
different paths and converge some distance away from the Chapel of Our Lady of
Remedies (Nossa Senhora dos Remedios), on the hill at Cuelim and proceed to the
chapel together. Three young lads will don the mantle of the three wise men
Melchoir, Balthazar and Gasper and climb the 100m high mount to attend the
solemn feast Mass at 10:30 am. They return home by a different way, totally
transformed, resolving to follow Christ.
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The privilege to organise the feast rests with the Gaonkars of
the Comunidade of Cansaulim, Arossim and Cuelim for their assistance rendered
to the early Church in Goa.
The chapel is atop the 100-metre high Cuelim hill. It is famous
due to the feast of the Three Kings, which is celebrated every year on January
6. It was founded by Fr Gonsalo Carvalho SJ in circa 1599 and is affiliated
with the St Thomas Church, Cansaulim. It is said to have been renovated in
1795.
In ancient times, circa 67 AD, the feast of the Epiphany
commemorated three important events in the life of Jesus namely: The self
manifestation of Jesus and the visit of the Magi, the baptism of Jesus in River
Jordan at the hands of John the Baptist and Jesus’ first miracle at the wedding
in Cana. The Greek Orthodox Church till date celebrates Christmas on January 6.
As
the bible portrays it, the Epiphany is a feast of ‘openness’, God’s revelation
of Jesus to the whole world.
