Cottubana is a small village in Velim, nestled on the banks of river Sal in Salcete Taluka. On the other side of the river is Mobor village. The chief occupation of the villagers then was fishing and agriculture. Many men folk also were seafarers. Now, some families have migrated to other parts of Goa and so too abroad for education and job prospects. The village came into prominence after a fishing jetty was built here and now it has become a hub for fishing activities.
ORIGIN
The small village has two Chapels, one in each ward, one dedicated to Jesus of Nazareth (Jesu Nazareno), and the other to St Sebastian. Both come under the jurisdiction of Tolecanto parish. The Chapel dedicated to Jesus of Nazareth was blessed on November 7, 1928. It had a small sanctuary with the altar dedicated to Jesus of Nazareth, whose image is above the altar. In front of it was another altar which was used to celebrate the Eucharist. The portion in front of the sanctuary was like an open hall and in front of it outside was an erected Cross.On the other side of the sanctuary was a sacristy. Mass is celebrated here only on Saturday evening. The villagers celebrate the feast with great devotion on the second Sunday of Easter, which this year falls on April 16. The Chapel has a committee called the ‘Dha Zann’ that comprises men of the ward, which meets after the Feast of the Chapel to discuss the Chapel matters.
DEVELOPMENTS
In the late 1990s as the population of this ward increased with the construction of new houses, this Chapel was found to be too small. There was also a need to bring together both the wards; hence a new Chapel was constructed in the fields very close to the earlier one.
This Chapel, which is circular in shape can accommodate about a 100 people. The list of donors who helped financially towards the construction of the Chapel has been put on two large marble stones on display at the left hand side of the wall. The plaque on the front wall states, “this Chapel of Jesus Nazareth was founded by late Rev. Fr Bosque Rodrigues and blessed by Fr Olavo Diniz, the parish priest of Tolecanto Church on December 10, 2000, Velim, Cutumbana, Salcete Goa.”
The old Chapel is now converted into a Community Hall. The plaque on it says, “Jesus Nazarenachea Copelachi suat bhettoilea by late Felix Nicaulau Pauxo Vas ani late Maria Filomena Vas, Dhinvas 10-6-92, Committee.
FEAST
Usually the Pirjent (president), who is selected on rotation, celebrates the Chapel Feast, which is on the second Sunday of Easter, prior to it is the Maddi and the nine-day Novena which are held in the evening.On the Feast day there would be two Masses, one at 7 am and the Feast Mass at 9.30 am. But this year, there is only one mass, which is at 8.30 am. After the Feast Mass is the traditional procession with the statue of Jesus of Nazareth, which earlier would be taken around a few houses of the village, but now it is held inside the small Chapel compound itself.
In the past soon after the final blessing and the veneration, men would visit every house of the ward to convey their festive greetings. This does not happen now. During the yesteryears, there would be a football game between the bachelors and the married men. The day ends with a Tiatr in the Chapel compound.I n the past, the Chapel feast was an occasion of homecoming for those settled outside the village, but today this does not happen as many families have settled abroad.
(The writer is Superior at Casa Professa, Basilica of Bom Jesus in Old Goa)
