Tracking back throughthe annals of history, religion is a debatable topic. One that stirs the sentimentsof many, and has led to heated discussions, as well as set the tone for a quietevening. As is the case with all things historic, many variations of the feastand its origins can be found.
Our Lady of Mount Carmel is the titlegiven to the Blessed Virgin Mary, in her role as patroness ofthe Carmelite Order. The origins of the Carmelites are traced back toChristian hermits living on Mount Carmel in the HolyLand during the late 12th and early to mid-13th centuries. They builta chapel in the midst of their hermitages which they dedicated to theBlessed Virgin, whom they referred to in chivalric terms as the ‘Lady of theplace’. The liturgical feast of Our Lady of Mount Carmel is celebrated onJuly 16.
The feast of NossaSenhora de Monte, or Our Lady of the Mount is a variant of the same feast thatis celebrated every September 9 and is preceded by a novena from August 31.
The two most notablechapels dedicated to the worship of Our Lady of the Mount are situated at OldGoa and Margão (which is dedicated primarily to the worship of Our Lady ofPiety). While the chapel at Old Goa has been constructed by the archdiocese,its counterpart in Margão was the brainchild of several of the more prominentfamilies of the town.
As per noted historianFather Nascimento Mascarenhas, “The chapel was reconstructed and dedicated toOur Lady of Piety, after the original chapel of the Holy Cross fell. All thosethat contributed have the word Piedade as a part of their surname.”
Genealogy and historyhas the chapel at Monte in Margão,dedicated to certain families that have been instrumental in either itsconstruction or upkeep. These include Peregrino Costa family from Margão, thefamilies of Piedade Rebelo and Piedade Pinto from the Largo da Igreja, the Piedade Soares family from Borda, and the DePiedade Monte da Silva family of Rua doAbade Faria.
