The feast of St Cecilia was celebrated by the ‘KonkaniNon-Stop Tiatristanchi Sonstha’ in Margao and Tiatr Academy of Goa in Panjimrespectively on November 22. St Cecilia is considered to be the patroness ofthe tiatr fraternity. This is absolutely incorrect, because St Cecilia is thepatroness of musicians. To say that St Cecilia is the patroness of artistes is alsonot true because the word ‘artistes’ includes not only drama artistes but alsopainters, sculptors and more, besides singers and musicians.
If one goes through the life of St Cecilia, it is observedthat nowhere during her lifetime she was related to dramatic art. On thecontrary, there is proof to indicate that she was linked to music. Therefore inphotographs and in pictures she is always portrayed playing an organ or aviolin.
Her life was full of sacrifices. She was tortured andtormented. Ultimately she was beheaded. During the last moments of her life,although in agony, she sang for the Lord and closed her eyes. Her life historyalso tells us that as the musicians played at her wedding she ‘sang in herheart to the Lord’. Therefore, Saint Cecilia is considered as the patroness ofmusicians and Church music. I fail to understand why and how St Cecilia’s namewas linked to tiatr which is a unique dramatic form.
During the first three years of TAG, when I was itsPresident, I received requests from some tiatr artistes from Goa to celebratethe feast of St Cecilia as the patroness of tiatr fraternity. I did not agreeto the request because I never considered St Cecilia as an appropriatepatroness of tiatr artistes.
Similarly, few people are aware of St Genesius of Rome whois known as the patron saint of actors, comedians, clowns, dancers andtheatrical performers because his life was directly linked to drama anddramatic form. His life history brings the following facts to our notice. SaintGenesius of Rome was an actor who worked in a series of dramas that used tomake a mockery of Christianity. Due to his anti-Christian performances theemperor of Rome “ Diocletian “ was proud of Genesius - the actor.
The emperor had come to witness one of his dramas. Whileperforming on the stage in a work that made fun of baptism, Genesius receivedsudden wisdom from God, realised the truth of Christianity, and had aconversion experience on stage. He announced his new faith there and then inthe presence of the emperor. The emperor was furious. He refused to renounceit, even when ordered to do so by emperor - Diocletian. The emperor orderedGenesius to be beheaded. Therefore St Genesius is called the patron saint ofactors, clowns, comedians, dancers, theatrical performers and so on. His feastis celebrated on August 25. If at all our tiatr artistes in Goa want tocelebrate the feast of their patron saint then it should be of St Genesius andnot of St Cecilia.
However I am completely clear in my mind that no religioussaints from any religion should be linked to tiatr and tiatrists. Tiatr must beprojected as a secular dramatic form of Goa. If Goan tiatr is taken in thatdirection then only it will easy for the Goan tiatr to make an impact on thenational scene of our country. And TAG’s aim should be to take tiatr at thatlevel. Such efforts can be successful only if we do not mix religion with tiatractivities.
