The relic of St Lawrence will be brought out today on the occasion of St Lawrence feast at Sinquerim. Devotees from far and wide across Goa have through the ages kept the tradition alive of celebrating the feast with pomp and gaiety. This is due of course to the many miracles that have been manifested by the powerful intercession of St. Lawrence. This was revealed by Valerian Richard Fernandes (Mpaxecar) from.
The feast of St Lawrence is celebrated towards the end of the monsoons when the sandbar at the mouth of the Mandovi clears. It is a celebration of a new beginning of sorts, heralding the reopening of the navigable channel in and out of the river. In the old days, a rope was stretched between the church and Cabo Raj Niwas in Dona Paula, across the Mandovi. This was cut at the time of the feast celebrations as a symbol that the navigation channel was open for ships to pass through.
St Lawrence is also known as the Patron Saint of Sailors. This is evident in the only altar inside the church which is dedicated to him. His statue is encased in a glass case beneath the baroque reredos. The paneled vaulting is exquisitely decorated and the risers of the steps of the altar have attractive blue and white tiles.
As per sources the chapel was isolated and construction started in the year 1630,it took 13 years to complete due to some reasons .Viceroy D.Minguel de Noronha Count of Linhares discovered it and spent 5000 xerafins from his pocket and also from collections by the benefactors. St Lawrence church Sinqueim Goa is called “Sao Lourenceihrejaem Sinquerm, Goa “ in Portuguese. The St Lawrence church Sinqueim, Goa is poplar called The Sinquerim church locally in Goa. The Sinquerim church was built by the Viceroy of Goa and handed over to the Franciscans in 1636. In the year 1688 the Sinquerim church was upgraded to a parish after being detached from the parish of Candolim in 1776. After the Franciscans left the Sinquerim parish and the hospice they had there, the Diocesan clergy took over the pastoral care of the parish from June 1991 the Sinquerimk parish parish enstrusted to the members of the order of the Friars Minor Capuchins.
The Church of St Lawrence at Sinquerim is built at a picturesque location and overlooks the Arabian sea. The Sinquerim church is a short distance from the famous Sinquerim fort, the feast mass will be at 8.am on 10th August.
Parish Priest Fr Agnelo Fernandes explained that the decision was taken due to the COVID-19 pandemic and urged the devotees to Feast Mass online.
