“It is a great joy for all Goans and Konkani speaking people from Diocese of Sindhudurg, Karwar, Udupi and Mangalore since Konkani speaking people got their first saint,” said Fr Rebelo, a few minutes before 9 am.
At the stroke of 9, the pealing of Church and chapel bells, as well as the sound of crackers heralded the canonization of St Joseph Vaz and the elated villagers greeted each other as a son of their soil became Goa’s first saint in five centuries of Roman Catholic faith in Goa. The first Mass post sainthood was then celebrated at the Sancoale sanctuary.
After the Mass, Postmaster General, Maharashtra Charles Lobo released the special postal cover on St Joseph Vaz.
Explaining the postal cover, Lobo said that on the left side was a picture of St Joseph Vaz alongside the facade of the old Sancoale Church and on the right side a postage stamp on Sri Lankan Buddhist Anagarika Dharmapala.
Giving reasons for St Joseph Vaz and Dharmapala on the postal cover, Lobo said while St Joseph Vaz went to Sri Lanka to save the Catholic faith which was under serious threat from Dutch Calvinists, on the other hand Dharmapala came to India from Sri Lanka and was pioneer of the revival of Buddhism in India after it was virtually extinct.
Lobo, who hails from Mangalore, said it was also a special moment for him since St Joseph Vaz had worked to promote Christianity in Mangalore.
Referring to the request of Fr Rebello for postal stamps on St Joseph Vaz to be possibly released on St Joseph Vaz’s birthday on April 21, Lobo said that it takes a minimum of two years to release the stamp and said that his department would work in this regard.
MPs Narendra Sawaikar and Shantaram Naik who were present said they would do their best to have a postal stamp on St Joseph Vaz. Naik went a step further saying that he would bring an amendment to the Postal Act to reduce the time period to release the postal stamp.
Local MLA Alina Saldanha and Archdiocese Treasurer Fr Valeriano Vaz who represented the Archbishop also spoke on the occasion.
