ABU DHABI
The Goan Community at St Joseph’s Cathedral, Abu Dhabi, came together in large numbers on November 30 to celebrate the Feast of St Francis Xavier in a vibrant display of faith, heritage, and unity.
The celebration opened with a Solemn High Mass, ushered in by the stirring melodies of a traditional Goan brass band and culminated in a grand procession carrying the Relics of St Francis Xavier.
The Feast Mass was celebrated by Fr Mariano Martinho Lourence, OFM Cap. and concelebrated by Chancellor Fr Valerian Fernandes, OFM Cap. and Spiritual Director of the St Joseph Konkani Community Fr Marian Miranda, OFM Cap. with resident priests from the Cathedral Parish and visiting friars.
The liturgy drew over 1,000 Konkani-speaking parishioners, filling the cathedral with hymns, prayer, and the characteristic spirit of Goan devotion. Following the Mass, the community gathered for a festive meal, sharing traditional Goan delicacies, with the much-loved Sorpotel taking pride of place.
In preparation for the feast, a three-day Triduum was held earlier in the week, preached by Fr Mariano Martinho Lourence. His reflections offered the faithful a deeper appreciation of the life and mission of St Francis Xavier.
Fr Lourence emphasised the foundations of Catholic living – prayer, family unity, forgiveness, sacrificial love, and humility – highlighting how these virtues lead every believer toward the heart of Christian life: the Holy Eucharist.
Each day of the Triduum Novena drew approximately 500 attendees, a testament to the strong devotion of the community.
The Novena and Feast were coordinated by the St Joseph Konkani Community, supported generously by parishioners who contributed their time, talent, and resources.
Addressing the faithful on the concluding day of the Triduum, Bishop Paolo Martinelli, Vicar Apostolic of Southern Arabia (AVOSA), underscored the enduring relevance of St Francis Xavier’s missionary zeal.
He reminded the congregation that, like the saint, today’s migrant Catholic communities have a “significant role in the growth and vitality of the Universal Church.”
The celebration not only honoured one of the Church’s greatest missionaries but also highlighted the enduring cultural and spiritual bonds that unite Goans across the globe – especially in the UAE, where the community continues to thrive and witness to its faith.
