The statues of the saints which will be taken out in a procession for the unique 'Santamchem Pursanv' in Goa Velha, on Monday. Captured by : Manuel Vaz
OLD GOA
The unique procession of the saints popularly known as ‘Santamchem Pursanv’ is all set to be held at Goa Velha, on Monday with the preparations for the same near complete.
When The Goan visited Goa Velha, on Sunday, the statues of the saints were being dressed in the traditional attire while other preparations were in the final stages.
Speaking to The Goan about the procession, St Andrew’s Church parish priest Fr Antonio Albuquerque said that Goa Velha is only the second place to hold the procession, the other being in Rome.
“However, it all started in 1617 in Pilar where the Franciscan priests with the Veil of Veronica started the Way of the Cross. But later, as that Century came to an end, procession of 65 saints was held and that is how the Procession of Saints started,” Fr Albuquerque informed.
“However, in 1835 the Portuguese drove away all the Religious priests from Goa due to which there was a break. But the procession was re-started in the current Goa Velha church in 1868 by the Franciscan III order which was the order of the laity. They brought the statues of the saints from the Pilar Church to the Goa Velha church and the procession was resumed with 25 statues,” Fr Albuquerque informed.
“From then on, the procession continues till date and today, 31 statues of saints are taken out in the procession,” Fr Albuquerque stated while adding that it happens on the fifth Monday of Lent.
Fr Albuquerque then clarified that it is not celebrated as a festival. “It was started as a penitential procession and still is. It is never celebrated as a feast. And this year’s theme is also on this line ‘We have sinned, O Lord, have mercy on us’,” he said.
Fiurther, Fr Albuquerque informed that it takes at least a month for the statues to be made ready.
“Every year after the procession, all the statues are kept in a room, which are then taken out more than a month before the day of the procession,” the priest stated and said that several persons help in readying the statues.
