PIO ESTEVES
GOA VELHA: The century-old procession of saints, held annually on the fifth Monday of Lent at Goa Velha church, stands cancelled this year. The restriction on people’s movement due to coronavirus has effectively broken a record of a procession that is unique to Goa. Rome is the only other place where it is being held. Given the situation in Italy, the chances of the procession being held in Italy’s capital this year are remote.
The annual procession of saints begins after the Eucharistic celebration at St Andrew’s church in Goa Velha and draws thousands of devotees from across the State for the Santachem Pursanv. Made up of statues of Franciscan saint, the image of St Joseph Vaz, the patron of the Archdiocese of Goa was added to it in recent years.
As per instructions and guidelines provided in a circular by the Archbishop of Goa and Daman, Rev Filipe Neri Ferrao, the community’s devotional practices like the Way of the Cross, the ‘Santos Passos’, procession, recitation of the rosary, chaplets as well as gatherings, similar to retreats, penitential services are not to be held. And the priests of Goa Velha parish, including the parishioners, have strictly adhered to the norms issued to them.
St Andrew’s Church Parish Priest Fr Emidio Pinto said that timely action taken by the Archbishop is in the right direction as life is more important. “We all need to learn from European countries, especially Italy,” he added.
“Whatever we miss for some time in our spiritual life,” Fr Pinto continued, “Will only help us to grow holier in the near future. What is more important is that we follow the way the saints lived,” he added.
“Saints are still living a happy life in union with God,” the parish priest preached, “all the time praising and worshipping Him.” “God is with us all the time,” he added, “and saints are with God and with us as well, all the time.”
Focusing on the images of various saints carried out in procession annually, Fr Pinto said, “God, including the saints, does not live in the man-made things or in images carved by human hands.” “Saints are spirits and they live with God,” he said, “who is the Creator and powerful Spirit.”
“Saints live with God, who is omnipresent, omnipotent and omniscient and they are with us all the time,” the priest explained, “those who worship God in spirit and truth, will be in truth with the spirit of the saints, who are unseen.” “At the time when we celebrate the feast of the saints,” he explained, “what is more important is to imitate them, the way they followed Christ and lived in communion with God and fellowmen.”
Way back in the 1830s, the practice of the procession of saints was carried out first by the Franciscans (Capochos) on the hillock of Pilar as a sign of penance. After 1836, it was shifted to the neighbouring village of Goa Velha. When St Andrew’s Church was constructed in 1868, the images of around 60 saints were shifted to the church with the ritual (procession) continuing thereafter annually at the same venue.
“The scare of the Coronavirus is an occasion for all of us, including the whole humanity, to reflect on our lives on this earth,” Fr Pinto mentioned. “Humanity has reached to great heights in development, research, wealth and wisdom,” he said, “but couldn’t do anything against the spread of the dreaded virus,” he grieved.
“Therefore, it’s in great panic and fear when life is not in our hands, but just a brittle, it is time to realise that the control of life is not at all within our limits, but solely on the Creator,” the parish priest cautioned. “Man has reached to such a low level that they believe he is god,” he said, “and it is high time to turn our eyes, minds and hearts to the One, who controls the history of humanity.”
“The annual procession of saints in our parish was celebrated with pomp and gaiety, with faithful from different walks of life flocking our village,” informed Joaquim Cardozo from St Andrew’s Church
“Relatives from far and wide would make it a point to pay homage to their favorite saint. But this year it’s unfortunate that the historical event stands cancelled. We respect the guidelines of our authorities for the safety of all. We hope and pray that the epidemic may vanish from the face of the earth soon,” Cardozo added.
In view of the cancellation of the traditional procession of saints, Fr Roland Carvalho, the Dean of the Goa Velha deanery said that precaution is better than cure. “Social distancing is of great help to eradicate coronavirus and in such circumstances elders’ guidance is of great help and God speaks to us through them,” he said.
Fr Carvalho reminded that devotion towards saints can only grow if we obey our superiors and some of the saints always obeyed their superiors. “In moments like this when there’s fear everywhere and the panic button stays pressed,” he said, “the only option is to avoid inviting danger amidst us deliberately.”
