The courtyard of the Mae de Deus Chapel in Gaunsavaddo-Siolim was graced by a moving and deeply symbolic ceremony on May 1 at 5:00 PM, as part of a unique Goan tradition marking the start of the Marian month. Continuing a ritual that dates back to 1944, Joanna Fernandes, a maiden from the ward and prospective bride, had the honor of crowning the life-size statue of Our Lady of Fatima.
Dressed in her wedding gown and accompanied by a troupe of maids also clad in white, Joanna crowned the statue with a garland of white roses in a poignant display of devotion. This bridal procession, however, was not headed to a wedding ceremony—no groom awaited at the chapel. Instead, the group gathered to uphold a spiritual tradition passed down for over eight decades.
The crowning followed the communal recitation of the Holy Rosary, with ward members joining in prayer around the statue, which stands on a pedestal in the chapel’s courtyard. Following the ceremony, Dr. Fr. Ramiro Luis presided over the Eucharistic celebration, joined by Chaplain Fr. Sebastian SSS.
According to local custom, the first girl from the ward to be married after the previous May is selected to crown the statue the following year, wearing her bridal attire as a symbol of purity and devotion. Being chosen for this role is seen as a special blessing.
The origins of this unique practice can be traced back to 1943, when Fr. Lazarus Andrade, then the chapel’s chaplain, installed the statue on December 8. His vision was to unify the people of Gaunsavaddo under the patronage of Our Lady of Fatima, encouraging them to pray together as one family, rather than continue the more common Goan practice of moving a smaller statue from home to home.
Crafted in Plaster of Paris by renowned Mangalorean sculptor Valentino Pinto, the statue was installed with great reverence. Fr. Andrade placed the written petitions of the faithful in two glass bottles, sealing them inside the statue’s base—a powerful gesture of trust in divine intercession.
Since then, May 1st has marked the beginning of the Marian month in this ward with this distinctive ritual. The community also gathers each October to pray at the statue, culminating in a candlelit procession on October 13, the feast day of Our Lady of Fatima, which winds through the nearby Holy Cross Convent grounds.
This annual crowning not only honors the Blessed Virgin but also serves as a testament to the enduring faith and unity of the Gaunsavaddo community—keeping alive a sacred legacy that continues to inspire across generations.