OLD GOA
Hundreds of devotees gathered at the St Andrew’s Church in Goa Velha on Monday as the penitential procession of saints returned after having been called off for two years due to the Covid pandemic.
Preceding the procession of saints, popularly known as ‘Santachem Pursanv’, a Eucharistic celebration was celebrated by the Parish Priest Fr Emidio Pinto along with other priests.
At the end of the Mass, a total of 31 life-sized statues were taken out in the procession, which is held every fifth Monday of Lent.
The first statue was the coat of arms, a symbol of the Franciscan Society, followed by the statue of St Pope Inocencio III, who gave recognition to the Franciscans.
The last statue was that of St Francis of Assisi kneeling before the statue of crucified Jesus.
Among the other statues included that of St Michael the Archangel, St Bonaventura, St Clara, St Francis of Assisi with Saints Ignatius and Donovan, St Pascoal, St Rosa, St Roque, St Isabel queen of Portugal, St Isabel Queen of Hungary, St Anthony, St Pedro Damiao, St Bernard, St Luis king of France, St Phillipe, St Inez Assis, St Rosa de Lima, St Francis of Assisi with St Domingos, Mother Mary stamping on a serpent, Ecce Homo, St Francis of Assisi in embrace with the Crucified Jesus, St John the Evangelist, St Mary Magdalene, Our Lady of Seven Sorrows, St Angela Mericia, St Andrew, St Francis Xavier, St Peter and St Joseph Vaz. As the statues made their way outside the Church and onto the main stage of the church square, a brief summary was given to the gathering about the significance of each statue. Several devotees ducked under the chorals carrying the statutes to receive blessings through the intercession of the saints.
The statues were later taken out in a procession around the village through the Goa Velha market and then onto the old national highway before winding their way back to the Church square. Finally, the statues were taken back to the St Andrew’s church.
