Remembering Our Lady of Snow and Konnsanchem Fest

Whatever the case may be, there is no bar of religion for Konnsanchem Fest in Raia. People belonging to any religion, thronge at the feet of Our Lady of Snow, to mark the respect to deity ani show the traditional unity in Raia. This year, there will be three Masses in the church and the devotees will be restricted respecting government guidelines for Covid-19. Limited number of Confraria members will go the SaibinniKonngi with the Parish Priest of Raia Fr. Januario Da Costa after the second Mass at 8.30 am who will say a prayer and sprinkle holy water. This wll be followed by FrDa Costa using the silver sickle to cut the first corn, and then, the first sheaves will be taken to the church with a procession to devote it to the Almighty. It is strictly instructed not to make any rush at the Konngiand follow all the restrictions like it was done in the last year. Blessed sheaves of paddy will be sent to every house of the village through the Parish Pastoral Council members to place it on their altars.

Our Lady of Snow Church is also called as Neves Saibinnichi Igorz and is famous for Konnsachem Fest. Founded in the year 1699, the Raia Church caters to the spiritual needs of the people from Bacbhat, Santemoll, Tembi, Uzro and Manora. The original church of people of Raia was Our lady of Snow Church, Rachol which is located at the bank of River Zuari at Rachol near the ferry dock. Earlier this was also the part of Village of Raia where ancient Patriarcal Seminary of Rachol is also housed in the Fort of Rachol. Increasing populattion forced the government to divide the village and separate parish was also formed by the Diocese of Goa. It is said that the the church was built under the supervision of priests from Santa Maria Maggiore, Rome which has special devotion to Our Lady of Snow.

The Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome is sometimes referred to as Our Lady of Snow, a name given to it in the Roman Missal from 1568 to 1969 in connection with the liturgical feast of anniversary of its dedication on 5 August, a feast that was then denominated DedicatioSanctaeMariae ad Nives (Dedication of Saint Mary of the Snow). A legend in this connection is cited that circa the year 352, during “the pontificate of Liberius, a Roman patrician John and his wife, who were without heirs, made a vow to donate their possessions to the Virgin Mary. They prayed that she might make known to them how they were to dispose of their property in her honour. On 5 August, at the height of the Roman summer, snow fell during the night on the summit of the Esquiline Hill. In obedience to a vision of the Virgin Mary which they had the same night, the couple built a basilica in honour of Mary on the very spot which was covered with snow. This legend is first reported only after AD 1000.

The Religious Orders present in the Parish of Our Lady of Snow Church, Raia, Goa are The Religious Men of the Society of Jesus (SJ) and the Society of the Divine Word (SVD). The Religious Women in the Raia Parish are The Handmaids of Christ (HC). The Society of Jesus (SJ) is based at The Pedro Arrupe Institute, St Xavier Street, Damon, Raia, Goa. The Society of the Divine Word (SVD) are based at the SVD Mission seminary, Raia, Goa. The Handmaids of Christ (HC) are based at St Theresa Convent, Ganapoga, Raia, Goa.

Our Lady of Snow Church, Raia is attached with major Educational Institution, Our Lady of Snow High Schoolwhich bring glory to the village by securing more than 90% result at the S.S.C. Board exams. Retreat Houses run by the Society of the Divine Word and The Pedro Arrupe Spiritual Centre (the Society of Jesuits) and retreats held by the church itself (presently stopped due to Covid-19) give the healing to the people of Raia and Goa as a whole.

Since the parish of Raia is big, spreading out at the radius of about 4-6 kms, caters to big chapel having Chaplain at Manora and more than 10 other small chapels without chaplains. Chapels at Bacbhatt, Coleandongor and Tembi serves the daily Sunday Mass helping out people to avoid travelling a long distance to take part in the Eucharist. Recently, Our Lady of Libramento Chapel has been elevated to the Church position, thereby creating separate parish for the people of Arlem.

The history of Konnsanchem Fest is narrated as, it was a village celebration and President of RaiaCommunidade would cut the first corn and offer it the diety of Our Lady of Snow at Raia andShantadurga in Shiroda and people were free to carry to their homes. It was a practice to offer the sheaves of paddy to the Governor of Goa before liberation. The elderly people of Raiasay that the history of Raia slowly changed and and cutting of the first corn came to the hands of Raia church, wherein ConfrariaaniFabrica of Our Lady of Snow Church took over the reigns of Konnsanchem Fest after liberation of Goa.

The Youth of Raia will play the traditional music for vespr and alvarnas at the wee hours of the 5th August i.e. Konnsanchem Fest Day. Asst. Parish Priests Fr. Rony Fernandes and Fr. Onasis D’ Cruz along with all the priests and sisters of Raia will assist the Parish Priest of Raia Fr. Da Costa in the celebration of Konnsanchem Fest with the help of all the associations of Raia Church, which include Parish Pastoral Council, Fabrica, Confraria, Youth, Catechists, Eucharistic Ministers, Legion of Mary, etc. etc. May Our Lady of Snow pour her grace unto the village of Raia, the people of Goa, India and the universe through the intercession of the Holy Trinity, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

The writer is the Moderator of Parish Pastoral Council of Our Lady of Snow Church, Raia and Visiting Professor at Patriarcal Seminary of Rachol.