VASCO
The Feast of Our Lady of Remedios at Cuelim-Cansaulim, which is one of only three places in Goa where children are dressed as “Three Kings” will be celebrated at the Our Lady of Remedios Chapel on January 6.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Cansaulim Parish Priest Fr Ave Maria Afonso said preparations for the Feast have already begun from December 27.
“People walked from the Church at Cansaulim to the Cuelim hill to bless the ‘Maddi’, after which the Mass began on a daily basis at the Chapel from December 28. The Novena Masses have been celebrated thrice a day at 6 am, 7.30 am and 5 pm, which has been attended by a large number of people,” said Fr Afonso.
“On the Feast Day, we will celebrate Masses at 5 am, 6.15 am, 7.30 am, 8.45 am and the main Feast Mass at 10.15 am where three children will come dressed as the three kings to the Chapel on horses from Cansaulim, Cuelim and Arossim.”
“This has been a tradition for several years where three children from the three separate villages are chosen to arrive as the three kings and these children then participate in the main Feast Mass. We will have another Mass at 4.30 pm which be the last Mass on the Feast Day.”
“Besides the Christian community, we also see a lot of people from other religions who arrive here on the Feast Day to seek blessings and this is a place of divine worship,” said Fr Afonso.
Fr Afonso sought to clarify on the misconception surrounding the notion of ‘Feast of Three Kings’.
“People arrive here for the feast and many of them consider it as the Three King’s Feast but it is not correct it is a feast because these Kings were not saints. These three kings were basically wise men who had arrived to meet and worship Jesus with their offerings on the feast of Holy Epiphany and this feast is celebrated in memory of that day,” said Fr Afonso.
Given the large number of people participating in the Novena and Feast, Fr Afonso said there will be a number of stalls at the venue.
