Dolcy D’Cruz
dolcy@herald-goa.com
PANJIM: He worked alone in Sri Lanka for ten years and gave life to the persecuted Church. He learnt their culture, sang their songs, built their own local church, he never imposed the western Church on the faithful. God protected him. He worked during the nights by the light of the silvery Moon. A letter addressed to his nephew deacon says, “Be like the moon, face Jesus the Sun.”
Jose Vaz was born on a Friday (April 21, 1651) at Benaulim, Portuguese India, baptised on Friday and died on a Friday (January 16, 1711) at Kandy-Sri Lanka. His parents, Cristóvão Vaz and Maria de Miranda, saw a star in the sky during mid-day and his father wrote in his personal diary that his son would become a great man. With conviction to help the persecuted Christians in Ceylon (Sri Lanka) he started his journey through Kanara, Tellicherry, Cochin, Quilon, Tuticorin and finally entered Jaffna in the guise of a coolie.
At the beginning of his mission, he was looked upon with suspicion and was even imprisoned several times. However, Kings Wimaladharmasooriya and Narendrasinghe having seen for themselves the holiness of Fr Vaz and his selfless dedication to the service of the sick recognised his genuineness and piety and gave him full freedom to work in their kingdom. He is reputed to have worked a miracle in Kandy when torrential rains came down after he prayed in public for rain during a prolonged severe drought on the island. He also took care and nursed thousands of small pox patients who had been abandoned by their own kin and left to die.
He is also considered as the saviour of Catholicism in Sri Lanka under terrible persecution of Dutch. Having given his life fully for the service of the people of Sri Lanka, he went to his eternal reward on January 16, 1711. He was buried with Royal Honours at Bogambara in Kandy.
A set of five stamps were issued by the then Portuguese India titled ‘Famous Men of India’ (Vultos da India), comprising João de Castro, St Francis Xavier, José Vaz, Luis de Ataide and Duarte Pacheco Pereira, designed by Alberto de Souza, lithographed at Litografia National, Porto and were printed as per government Order No. 12348 dated April 8, 1948. A miniature sheet of the same valued 1 Rupia was printed in July 1948.
A set of nine stamps were issued to mark the Birth Tercentenary, was lithographed and printed in Portugal, as per government directive no. 13710 dated October 16, 1951. During the Tercentenary of the Birth of Padre José Vaz (1651-1951) an aerogram of 12 tangas was also issued which had a stamp print showing the front of the Saint’s house at Sancoale.
During Portuguese India rule, they celebrated 450th Anniversary of Portuguese Settlements in India. On March 24, 1956, they issued a set of six stamps titled ‘Famous Personalities of India’ personalities included Manuel Antonio de Souza, Filipe Nery Xavier, Agostinho Vincente Lourenço, Padré Jose Vaz, Manuel Godinho de Heredia and Antonio Caetano Pacheco.
The Philatelic Bureau of Sri Lanka issued a commemorative stamp in the denomination of .75 cents designed by S S Silva, on December 15, 1987, to mark the arrival of Venerable Fr Joseph Vaz in Sri Lanka and the Catholic Hierarchy in Sri Lanka.
During the Maharashtra Philatelic Exhibition MAHAPEX 87 held at Pune, it provided a Pictorial cancellation displaying front façade of Sancoale Church on its Special cover dated December 20, 1987.
Sri Lanka Philatelic Bureau issued a stamp in the denomination of Rs 1 to commemorate the visit of His Holiness Pope John Paul II and the Beatification of Ven Fr Joseph Vaz on January 20, 1995 in Colombo.
On the occasion of the canonisation of son of the soil Blessed Joseph Vaz India Post, Goa Division released a special cover dedicated to the Saint at the hands of Fr Eremito Rebello and postmaster general Charles Lobo on January 14, 2015.
A special cover is autographed by the ‘miracle child’ Fr Cosme J Costa, whose miraculous birth was and will be the only miracle approved by the Vatican that helped Blessed Joseph Vaz attain sainthood, was specially invited to attend the canonisation of Blessed Joseph Vaz in Sri Lanka. Fr Costa, a priest of the Pilar Father who hails from Aldona.
