The ceremony took place as St Andrew’s Parish, Vasco on Friday celebrated the feast of St Jose Vaz with great religious fervour.
Hundreds of faithful participated in the eucharistic celebration and they later participated in a procession from St Andrew’s Church to Vasco JMFC Court, before culminating at the church for blessings.
The road from St Andrew’s Church Vasco was on Friday officially renamed as Fr Jose Vaz Road, while five signboards, renamed as Fr Jose Vaz, were unveiled by Power Minister Milind Naik, Vasco MLA Carlos Almeida, PDA Chairman Krishna Salkar, former Mormugao Municipal Council (MMC) Chairperson Madeline Pereira and Pankaj Joshi, a businessmen from Vasco.
The signboards were blessed by Parish Priest Fr Gabriel Coutinho.
Speaking to Herald, Fr Coutinho said the procession was taken out to commemorate the lifestyle of St Jose Vaz. “The procession was taken out to follow the footsteps of St Jose Vaz,” said Fr Coutinho.
When asked why the road was renamed as Fr Jose Vaz and not St Jose Vaz, since the canonization had already taken place, Fr Coutinho said: “Though St Joseph Vaz has been canonised, we want to maintain the original name as Fr Jose Vaz,” he added.
Power Minister Naik told media persons that it was a joyous moment for each and every Goan that a son of the soil had become a saint.
