by Fr. Nascimento Mascarenhas

Before the Golden Jubilee of Mae de Deus Church in Saligao on 26 November 1923, a well-organised Triduum was held in the church, with religious services both in the morning and evening. After its conclusion, the parishioners of Saligao gathered at the chapel of St. . . . → Read More: The Golden Jubilee of Saligao Church (1923) – II]]>

by Fr. Nascimento Mascarenhas

Before the Golden Jubilee of Mae de Deus Church in Saligao on 26 November 1923, a well-organised Triduum was held in the church, with religious services both in the morning and evening. After its conclusion, the parishioners of Saligao gathered at the chapel of St. Anthony in Sonarbhatt. The historical statue of Mae de Deus had been kept there overnight on 25th November 1873 before being taken to the church. From then on, this date was celebrated with recitation of the Rosary, a sung litany and a hymn of Our Lady of Mae de Deus every year. Although this prayer service did not form part of the programme of the festivities for the Golden Jubilee, it was a spontaneous gathering promoted by the people of Sonarbhatt, and other parishioners too joined them in celebration.

Around 11.45 pm, some people gathered around their respective chapels while others armed themselves with musical instruments and stayed ready in their balconies and courtyards, awaiting the ringing of the bells of the church accompanied by 21 salvos of the khon’nes. All the chapel bells were also rung and people sang praises to the Mother of God in their homes. This was something quite unusual, and it marked the beginning of the festival of the 50^th Anniversary of the founding of Saligao’s Mae de Deus Church.

After just a few hours, the Angelus bells rang again at 5:00 am along with the khon’nes and firecrackers and the Alvorada played by Banda Central from Margao. Wafting along the morning breeze, the sounds of the brass band could be heard in every nook and corner of the village and the villagers awoke. The brass band paraded from the church, playing a series of popular tunes, going past the Aula (primary school), D. Pedro Road, the old-age home, the old tinto and then back via the same path to the church, with the villagers cheering and celebrating all along.

Dressed in their Sunday best, the villagers attended the morning Eucharistic celebration in the church at 9:00 am. With Our Lady’s image kept in the transept of the church and all her dear children around her giving thanks to Almighty God, the numerous clergy gathered at the sacristy took part in the High Mass specially approved by his Excellency the Patriarch of the Maternity of Our Lady. The Mass was celebrated by Rev. Cirilo Saldanha from Arrarim, with    Rev. Duarte Fernandes from Donvaddo and Nicolau José Cordeiro from Mollembhatt serving as acolytes. The orchestra played the mass of Santa Cicilia with a magnificent choir of singers.

All the altars were tastefully decorated with natural and artificial flowers of all colours and hues under the meticulous eye of the artist Rev. Cirilo Saldanha. The space where the pavilion of Our Lady stood was decorated with green plants and vases with flowers of various colours. After the gospel, the Rev. Parish Priest Bacharel Sebastião José Lopes Lobo ascended the pulpit, and with intense emotion uttered the first words “Te-Deum Laudamus” (We praise you, O Lord). Then the preacher spoke about what must have been going on in the minds and hearts of his parishioners and with words of praise and thanksgiving to God spoke about the Mother of God being a teacher and mother for 50 years to her sons and daughters of Saligao. It was a stirring sermon. The rest of the ceremony went on well, at the end of which the blessing of the Blessed Sacrament was given and the ceremony ended with the singing of Salve Regina (Hail Holy Queen). The mass ended at 10 am and the devotional music played by the band filled the hearts of the parishioners with pride and joy as they left the church.

by Fr. Nascimento Mascarenhas

A couple of weeks ago we celebrated the 137th anniversary of the Mae de Deus Church in Saligao. Elaborate as the celebrations no doubt were, it is unlikely that they came even close to the pomp and grandeur of the 50th anniversary celebrations way back in 1923 [the Church . . . → Read More: The Golden Jubilee Of Saligao Church (1923) – I]]>

by Fr. Nascimento Mascarenhas

A couple of weeks ago we celebrated the 137^th anniversary of the Mae de Deus Church in Saligao. Elaborate as the celebrations no doubt were, it is unlikely that they came even close to the pomp and grandeur of the 50^th anniversary celebrations way back in 1923 [the Church was founded on 26th November 1873].

In the annals of the Saligao Church, the 50^th anniversary celebrations of its foundation, held on 26^th November 1923, was an event that made big news in various journals of Goa. Its remote preparation began with the meeting of the parishioners held on 29th October 1922 under the chairmanship of the then parish priest of Saligao, Rev Bacharel Sebastião José Lopes Lobo from Moira, wherein a tentative programme of festivities was placed before the assembly and time was given to them to come out with new ideas to be included in the programme as well as celebrate the events both religious and social in the best manner that would have a lasting impression on the minds of the people of the village.

It was also decided that two books would be released: One in 1923 itself, titled Igreja de Saligao authored by the vicar Rev. Fr. Lopes Lobo; and, the second, titled As festas do Cincoentenário da Inauguração da Igreja de Saligao to be written by a Saligaokar, identified as Fr. José Francisco dos Remédios from Tabravaddo, and distributed a year later on 26^th November 1924. During the year-long preparation, the particulars of the various items planned were chalked out in minute detail.

The proximate preparation of the festivities of the 50th anniversary began from the month of September 1923. From then, every evening the boys of the village assembled in the compound of the church under the command of the parish priest. They lined up and marched around the entire compound to the march tunes played on the violin by Fr. Adrião de Sousa. Soon bugles and drums were added to the band in the early days of the month of October.

As the parish priest was busy with many activities, he handed over charge of the boys to Manuel António de Mendonça from Cotula, a teacher at Colégio Mater Dei, for further marching practice. Manuel Mendonça added a large number of boys from the school and trained them all to perfection for the celebrations. Besides marching, the boys were given myriad other responsibilities for the celebration. There would also be boy scouts from the school who would maintain order during the celebrations, while schoolgirls belonging to the Red Cross would provide first aid to those who took ill during the festivities in and around the church.

A map of Saligao to be designed by João Salustiano de Souza, a young artist from Saligao at the time employed in Calcutta, would appear in the Saligao books and in O Heraldo, a Goan daily newspaper, which would also bring out a special edition commemorating the 50^th year, a few days before the feast on 26^th November 1923.

The hymn O Brihante e a Estrela had already been set to music by Joaquim António Mascarenhas from Arrarim. The words of the hymn were composed by the famous poet from Margao, the late Barreto Miranda.

Meanwhile, there would also be a sports meet open to all, and a play staged by the girls of the village. The Director of the Colégio de Santa Maria, Etelvina de Melo, along with her associates would put up the concert with an all-female cast on 27^th November, using the stage specially constructed in the church courtyard. Prior to the big day, there would be three days of spiritual preparations both in the morning and evening.

The preparations and practices for the music concerts were entrusted to various musicians. Dr. Rodolfo de Melo would be the Director and Conductor of the classical concert. Around 50 musicians from Saligao would gather at his residence at Demelovaddo together with the old and young singers from different wards for daily practices of various items. Young girls would be trained in their respective wards by the notable musicians from the village, such as Francisco Xavier Machado from Grande Morod, Joaquim António Mascasrenhas and Wolfgango da Cruz from Arrarim, Santana Gabriel Vaz from Mudd’davaddi, etc. Meanwhile The glory and love and O brilhante e a estrela, would be learned and sung by everyone in the wards. By the beginning of November the villagers had memorized the lyrics and music, and sang wherever they went. There was music all around the place!

As the day of the festival approached, the efforts were redoubled. Buntings of varied colours were readied, and would be hung from the towers of the church and fastened at the other end to the fence in the compound. More than a thousand lanterns for marche aux flambeaux, as well as to be hung on the façade of the church on the night of the 26^th November were readied. Banners with different messages to be displayed over the various gates of the compound, vases and flower pots, bil’lo-madd portals, etc, were planned in advance to the minutest of detail.

Everyone worked together as a team. Everything would have the aura of a festival befitting the commemoration of the Golden Jubilee of the foundation of the Mae de Deus Church of Saligao. The singers and musicians, the celebrants and the preachers, the sacristans and the sextons, and many others working behind the scenes, were all busy in preparation for the imminent great day.

Most of the activities would be taken care of by the sons and daughters of Saligao. The only exception was “Banda Central”, a band from Margao, which would provide music for the vespers, alvorada, procession and sports activities. The band would also perform on the arrival of the Archbishop Patriarch from Calangute (who was to encamp there with his Rev. Secretary) to take part in the evening service on 26^th November 1923. The description of this day needs to be highlighted in another article.

A month before the feast, the historical image of Mae de Deus, made from wood, was brought down from the side altar where it had been placed in 1873. It was noticed that it was made of cedar wood and that it required some refurbishment. Hence the image was shifted to a room in the residence and the restoration work commenced. The left foot of the image was mutilated due to a number of nails that had been inserted therein. A new one was made of teak wood to replace the older cedar wood one. The right foot was also severed, separated and replaced by another made of teak wood, maintain the symmetry. The legs were to be painted anew and other parts of the historic image to be retouched. Everything was worked upon and completed in record time. The image looked perfect now. Much later, in 1972,  C Hubert de Sousa from Nigvaddo (Arrarim), who had a chance of seeing this image from close quarters, wrote in glowing terms about the statue of our Lady of Mãe de Deus, the Patroness of Saligao Church. Once the restoration was complete, the image was kept in the hall, and on the first triduum day it was kept on a podium in the transept of the church.

[To be continued]

by Fr. Nascimento Mascarenhas

The Mae de Deus Church in Saligao is surrounded by a sizeable courtyard, aptly setting back the impressive façade of the building from the busy CHOGM Road, enabling tourists visiting Goa as well as locals to adequately soak in the Neo-Gothic architectural beauty of the . . . → Read More: A Walk Through the Saligao Church Courtyard]]>

by Fr. Nascimento Mascarenhas

The Mae de Deus Church in Saligao is surrounded by a sizeable courtyard, aptly setting back the impressive façade of the building from the busy CHOGM Road, enabling tourists visiting Goa as well as locals to adequately soak in the Neo-Gothic architectural beauty of the church building as they pass by.

The 3-storey-high church, founded on 26 November 1873, with its prominent horizontal rustication and series of buttress fins with Gothic pinnacles studded with crockets and capped with fleur-de-lis finials, has concrete columns that arch together at the apex to support a pinnacle atop which is a cross.

The parish house is attached to the church, at the side. Adjoining the parish house is a small garden with a parapet providing sitting space. This came into existence a few years back. A stone, with an inscription and the symbol of the Franciscan Order belonging to the old Mother of God Convent of Daugim, was brought recently from the ruins of the Convent of Daugim in Old Goa. This inscription is placed at the entrance of the corridor.

As I walked around the compound with my friend Salvador Mascarenhas, we reached a small gate, opening onto the road leading to Dakttem (Pequeno) Morodd, Golletem, etc. Turning around, we saw the age-old yellow-flower tree, its trunk now enclosed within black stone seats. We recollected that during Lent every year the flowers of this tree would be strewn all around, while the faithful listened to the Veronica song sung from an erected mattou (tent). It was followed by a sermon on the Passion of Jesus, delivered from the pulpit. This pulpit has an inscription in Portuguese “A MEMORIA DA SUA ESPOSA MARIA ESCOLASTICA LOBO NASCIDA EM 28-2-1900 FALECIDA EM 10-11-1923. E FILHA LINDA COELHO NASCIDA EM 5-11-1923 FALECIDA EM 17-10-1931. LAGRIMAS E SAUDADES DO ESPOSO E PAI RODOLFO SEBASTIAO COELHO, IRMA E MADRASTA MARIA TEODOLINDA LOBO. (In memory of his wife Maria Escolastica Lobo Born on 28-2-1900 Died on 10-11-1923. And daughter Linda Coelho Born on 5-11-1923 Died on 17-10-1931. Tears and remembrances of her husband and father Rodolfo Sebastiao Coelho, Sister and Stepmother Maria Teodolinda Lobo).

After walking a little distance we came to a gate that brings in parishioners from Cotula, Muddavaddi, etc, into the courtyard. Salvador reminded me that there used to be two large trees at this spot; the fruit, known as duddkim, looked quite pretty hanging from the trees. Opposite this gate, on the road leading to the cemetery, was another Duddkem tree, but that too is long gone. Salvador also recalled the two Komé trees that stood in the corners, ablaze with red flowers in the summer months, visible to all who visited the church, especially during the May feast days and summer holidays.

We turned a bit and proceeded towards the first monument – that of Mãe de Deus. It has the following inscription in Portuguese: PADRAO COMEMORATIVO DO CINQUENTENARIO DA IGREJA DE MAE DE DEUS. OFERECE DR. RODOLFO DE MELO EM MEMORIA DOS SAUDOSOS DR. CAETANINHO DE MELO, INES DE MELO, JOSE  VINCENTE DE MELO (Commemorative monument of the fiftieth anniversary of the church of Mãe de Deus. Offered by Dr. Rodolfo de Melo in memory of his ever loving Dr. Caetaninho de Melo, Inês de Melo, José de Melo). This monument was erected there during the Vicarship of Fr.António Francisco das Mercês de Melo (1947-54), though the celebrations of 50^th anniversary of the foundation of the church were held in 1923. At that time (1923) Dr. Rodolfo de Melo played a prominent part in the celebrations of this golden jubilee of the church by organising a major classical concert in the church compound.

A little further there is another monument, dedicated to Our Lady of Fatima. The inscription thereon reads as follows: FOI AOS PASTORINHOS QUE A VIRGEM FALOU DESDE ENTAO NAS ALMAS NOVA LUZ BRILHOU. LEMBRANCA DA APARICAO DA VIRGEM EM FATIMA. OFERECE DR. RODOLFO DE MELO EM MAMORIA DOS SEUS QUERIDOS; MAE JASMIN, IRMAO ROLDAO, CUNHADA EDVIGES E SOBRINHA OLIVIA. ANO MARIANO 1954. (It was to the shepherd children that the Virgin spoke and from then on a new light shone in their hearts. In remembrance of the apparition of the Virgin in Fatima. Offers this monument Dr. Rodolfo de Melo, in memory of his mother Jasmin, brother Roldao, sister-in-law Edviges and niece Olivia. Marian Year 1954.)

A little away is the bandstand. The commemorative plaque states: PAVILHAO M. R. DE SOUZA. OFFERECIDO POR SEUS NETOS CEDRIC M.R. EMAR DE SOUZA, M. STEPHEN EMAR DE SOUZA E M. BLANDINA EMAR DE SOUZA NA PAROQUIACAO DO VIGARIO PE. NATIVIDADE DE SOUZA. 29-12-1960. (Pavilion M.R. de Souza. Offered by his grand-children Cedric M.R. Emar de Souza, M. Stephen Emar de Souza and M. Blandina de Souza, during the Vicarship of Fr. Natividade de Souza. 29-12-1960).

The bandstand during our times is best described by Mel D’Souza in his book Feasts, Feni and Firecrackers. “The bandstand was a box-like frame made of bamboo with the lower ends of the uprights positioned firmly in the ground. The square frame at the top kept the uprights in alignment while a waist-high railing kept the kids out of the bandstand. Stuck firmly in the ground in the centre of the bandstand would be another sturdy bamboo pole to which all the uprights were braced. From this pole would hang the bright Petromax lamp with its distinctive hissing sound that came from the release of pressurized kerosene. The uprights would be covered with palm fronds, and the horizontal poles with buntings and coloured streamers. And around this bandstand, amid coconut trees silhouetted against a starry tropical sky, the folk would gather to listen to the band of the evening”.

Continuing our walk, we reached the side door of the church from where the feast procession begins. At its foot, the brass band played the Saligao hymn composed by Antonio Mascarenhas from Arrarim “O Brilhante é a Estrela”. The tune stirred the hearts of the people, uplifting their souls heavenwards. Just a few metres away from the outside door, there used to be a huge tree crowned with natural yellow flowers, swaying in the breeze, while the melodious chiming of the bells, strains of the band, and the deafening sounds of the khonnes helped the people dressed in festive clothes and undisturbed by the heat of the May strong sun, pray and give thanks to God. They were followed by confrades, altar boys, the clergy and the main celebrant carrying the image of the patroness and the choir members and the musicians following the traditional processional route chanting hymns with fervor and devotion. All these images came alive in our minds as we stood at this spot.

Today, there is a cement floor and a stage on this land. The inscription on the stage says “Centenary gift to Saligao, in memory of Vitorinho Francisco Saldanha and Maria Conceição da Cruz Saldanha. 26^th November 1972.”  Behind this stage there used to be the parochial school, established in 1873. It was endowed with its own building raised in 1878. This was razed to the ground in 1972. We have nostalgic memories of this parish school, which helped many to learn the three R’s as well as the tenets of religion and rudiments of music both religious and secular. The last choir master who taught in this parish school was Mr. Eustaquinho D’Souza.

Alongside the fences of the church compound there are altogether nineteen small crosses beneath which are nineteen niches with relics and names of the deceased parishioners. There are also numerous Ashoka trees in the compound. Electric lights on the grounds and at various places on the façade and sides of the majestic structure when illuminated at night make the church look very beautiful. There are roads on all sides of the fence except at the rear. In earlier times there was a ‘paim-vatt’ or small walking path for parishioners of Pequeno Morodd and Goletem, which is now closed.

The last part of our walk took us to the spot where once a memorial cross commemorating the 50th Anniversary of Mae de Deus Church, Saligao, stood. It was sunset as we recalled this event. Let me relate to you some details from documents published at that time:

“The Patriarch of Goa D. Matheus de Oliveira Xavier who was the main celebrant of the evening religious function on 26^th November 1923, dressed in his ceremonial surplice, stole, cape and more, proceeded in procession to bless the corner stone of a cross to be soon erected in the compound of the church which was to be the memorial of these fiftieth anniversary celebrations.  It would be a baroque version cross having a pedestal on which would rest a rounded part of the lower structure. This part was to be separated from the upper part by a ring like design format. The upper part which was like an octagonal crown shaped form was joined to the lower part which would end with a cross socle round on top in which the granite black cross, coming from Daugim in Old Goa, was to be fixed.”

This stone structure coated all over with cement was painted white, with the granite black cross on top, adding architectural beauty to the square. This beautiful cross of the compound is shown in the map drawn in 1923 by Joao Salustiano de Souza from Saligão in the Souvenir marking the fiftieth year celebrations. Later on a photo of the neo-gothic Church and the cross in the compound was taken by photographer Paul and Co, Panjim.

In 1972, this cross mysteriously disappeared. Strangely, the disappearance was met with complete silence from all sides. Some people did raise their voices during the centenary celebrations of the church in1973. But they were shushed during the festive season, and later on nobody came forward to officially protest. In private though, people did discuss the disappearance of the cross, and hoped that it would be reinstated once again in the adro (compound). Finally, after 37 years, a new cross was built during the vicarship of Fr. Luciano Fernandes (June 2008-  ). It was placed between the two monuments of Our Lady of Mãe de Deus and Our Lady of Fatima in the courtyard and blessed by Fr. Casmiro D’Mello from Sonarbhatt, in the presence of the Parish Priest and parishioners of Saligao in 2009. The contributions for this new cross came from Comunidade de Saligao and some others.

This walk through the courtyard of Saligao Church brought to us lot of happy memories of the past, especially ones in connection with the memorial cross; we youngsters used to sit on its pedestal on Sunday and Thursday evenings, learning the doctrine of our Catholic faith, and also carefully listening to the sermons preached outdoors during the Lenten season. We took part in processions in the courtyard held around the cross and also witnessed football and volleyball matches played in the compound. After salves, we listened to the sweet music played by various bands and watched fireworks and sometimes simply chatted with our friends – all this under the shadow of the cross. After home and school, it is in the church and its compound that we spent so much of our quality time. Those were the days!

If I am a priest today, I owe it in no small measure to the early guidance I received from Patricio A C Vaz, popularly known as Patru, from Donvaddo in Saligao. At St. Anne’s Chapel, not far from where I lived, whenever the twin-brother priests Monsenhor Cosme, Parish Priest of . . . → Read More: Patru, My Guide]]> by Fr Nascimento Mascarenhas

If I am a priest today, I owe it in no small measure to the early guidance I received from Patricio A C Vaz, popularly known as Patru, from Donvaddo in Saligao. At St. Anne’s Chapel, not far from where I lived, whenever the twin-brother priests Monsenhor Cosme, Parish Priest of Santa Cruz, Ilhas, or Fr. Tome Cordeiro, Educationist in Carona de Aldona, from Mollebhatt; or Fr. Francisco dos Remedios, Vice-Rector of Damao Seminary, from Tabravaddo; or Fr. Eugenio Francisco Xavier Sequeira, Superior General of Pilar Society, from Donvaddo; or Monsenhor Valentino das Chagas Fernandes, Dean of Margao, and Fr. Faustino de Sousa, founder of the Congregation of the Holy Family of Nazareth, both from Mudd’davaddi, and other priests returned to their respective residences on holidays, we youngsters would assemble every morning in St. Anne’s Chapel (there were three altars then) to serve their Masses as altar boys.

Patricio Vaz would guide us in serving them at the Eucharist and if we went wrong at any point, he was always there to help us. He never shouted at us nor raised his hand in anger. He corrected us gently and patiently. He also made sure that we pronounced the words correctly in Latin, as at that time all Masses were conducted in Latin.

Patru loved us much and tolerated our mischief too. He loved us much and tolerated our mischief too. His kindness and courtesy were beyond measure. He often carried sweets and other goodies in his pockets, probably with the sole intention of sharing them with us. Somehow, whenever and wherever help was needed, Patru magically appeared. As a result, he was a household name in Saligao.

He was particularly fond of me and often narrated to me stories about the Saints, explained the meaning of the Mass, and told me the life stories of some exemplary priests – thus, I felt a flame burning in my heart to embrace the priesthood. This vocation was reinforced in my heart and mind by my family members also. May God reward them all.

From the organisation of the Sunday liturgy or the annual St. Anne’s feast, to giving final touches to the funerals of the dear departed, to using his influence in matters social, religious and even governmental, Patru was always at the forefront. The fantastic annual dances he organised on the occasion of the Church Feast, the football matches at which he officiated as a referee, can never be forgotten. Patru is also credited with having saved a woman from drowning, despite danger to his own health and life, and that too in the dead of night.

He served as an assistant sacristan in the Saligao Church and later migrated to Bombay in search of greener pastures. But Saligao beckoned him lovingly and insistently. He returned and set up his own bar near the old tinto, called Casa Vaz e Irmaos, which was very popular and successful up to 1961.

Patricio Antonio Caridade Vaz was the son of Sebastiao Caetano Vaz (Saligao) and of Ana Maria Mascarenhas (Siolim). He passed away at Donvaddo in Saligao on 2nd. October 1981. But, to quote the well-known epigram of Greek poet and scholar Callimachus, “A good man never dies.”

It has been said that folk songs of a country or region “reveal the soul of a particular race”, and that “the art of the people is the voice of their heart and truest confession of their thought”. In this sense, the Goan folk songs are historical documents that record the . . . → Read More: Saligaokars And Goan Religious Folk Songs]]> by Fr Nascimento Mascarenhas

It has been said that folk songs of a country or region “reveal the soul of a particular race”, and that “the art of the people is the voice of their heart and truest confession of their thought”. In this sense, the Goan folk songs are historical documents that record the feelings and doings of the Goan life from birth to death.

There are about thirty distinct (surviving) types of folk songs in an area of roughly 3,500 square kilometres. In other words, Goan folk songs are certainly the greatest treasure in “the great song wealth of the microcosmic India that is the Konkan,” which is now ten centuries old. They are also the best known, thanks to Christian contribution. The Christian Goan Folk Song may be divided under two categories: Religious and Profane.

History

When people were converted to Christianity in Goa, great care was taken by the religious ministers to keep the converts away from cultural practices or customs connected with Hindu worship. In this endeavour they had the solid backing of the State. Now, all Hindu folk art is predominantly religious. It has its source in religion or in the festivals of the locally venerated deities. Songs such as bhajans, aarti, sigmo proclaim their inspiration in their very names. Even the songs that accompany folk dances or folk dramas sing of gods and mythological heroes. The new converts, therefore, were strongly discouraged from taking part in these expressions of Hindu culture. In 1585, for instance, a decree of the third Provincial Council of Goa said that ‘no Christian must enjoin nor allow the women folk of his family irrespective of status, to dance, play or sing in the Deccani Style, or cultivate any other pagan songs and dances.’

The innate Goan artistry could not be suppressed, however, and before long, new experiments in the musical arts resulted. This musical “encounter of Europe with India on the soil of Goa, took place in the Churches, colleges and religious institutions established in Goa and was fostered in the parish primary schools which supplanted the old patshalas of village temple complexes. Here, singing was an important and honoured subject. When their fine oriental ear for melody had been exposed for some decades to the richness of the western harmony, choral singing and instruments like violin, organ, the harp and the dulciner, Goans began to compose their own music, a subtle blend of east and west. The free and sinuous melodic lines of Gregorian plain chant which had so much in common with the traditional music of the folk of India, the simple songs of many European countries taught to them by the missionaries, particularly the early Italian songs, the delights of the polyphonic singing, all these had impressed themselves on the keenly receptive Goan ear.”

Religious Compositions

As might be expected, the first attempts were religious compositions. Devotional songs were created anew, and ranged from very simple invocations in the primitive ‘ovi’ metre to the classically haunting motet. Innumerable are the hymns, litanies and masses, unpublished but still existing in one or another church collection, which were composed by Goan musicians from the 16^th century onwards. The melody is sung in two voices, at intervals of thirds or sixths in the Western musical scale, but with all the subtle nuances of interpretation and expression of Indian Classical music.

Our religious folk songs are not just simple invocations. They are a profession of deep-rooted faith burning with consecrated fervour. One of the best examples we can think of is this:

Ami somest kor(I)tanv hi bhett,

Tujea Mha-Povitr(a) kallzak.

This hymn of love and adoration is a sort of Pater Noster of the Goan folk songs in the almost Gregorian simplicity of its melody and the richness of emotion. It implies a vast multitude come together in a spirit of prayer and dedication.

Particularly endearing among these, are the songs addressed to the Eucharistic Jesus:

Jesus mhojea Deva, anvddetanv gheuncheak Tuka,

Ie, ie mhojea Jezu, soglench mhojem, kalliz Saiba, ditam Tuka.

To the Mother of God:

Vinoti kor Maie, Tujea Put(r)a laguim, mellun gheuncheak ami, Sorginchim dennim

And to saints like St. Francis Xavier and St. Anne:

Sam Francisku Xaviera, Tuji Kuddu Goyam xhara, Jezuchea sangata, sodanch tuji niti vortota.

Sant Ana, mozott kori, Amam pordexam. Eh bhagivonti Ana, Sorginchem raj choloitai, Boddveanchea sangata, Amche pasun vinoti kor…

Not all our religious folk songs, however are quite explicit. Some of the outpourings are so enigmatic and ambiguous that they hardly seem logical. Take this verse on Saint Anthony:

Santo Antonio ange, paus ghall sanje.

What ‘ange’ means is difficult to know. All that our minds can grasp is a certain familiarity with the Saint who is undoubtedly one of the most popular of the Goans, and so our familiarity with that saint seems to justify the threat that is given to him. Good old St. Anthony commended to bring down rain and that too today, this very evening.

Even though much may be condoned to us because of St. Anthony’s miraculous power of changing dross into gold, there is no justification for treating other saints with equal indulgence.

There is a verse on St. Sebastian:

Sam Sebastiao Bhogta,

Tum Konknneachea Putra.

Konknneachea, here does not mean that St. Sebastian is a native of Konkan. What is implied, I suppose, is paganism and the lack of faith, especially in reference to saint’s father who was a pagan in Rome, Italy.

Saligaokars and Folk Songs

There is no doubt that there is music flowing in the veins of every Saligaokar. In the years gone by every male member from every second house in the village used to join the parochial school to learn music, which was the education and culture easily available those days.

Religious singing in the church, chapels, ward crosses, brought people from the village to break down the barriers of shyness and embarrassment and open their hearts to one another in praising God, Mother of God, Angels and Saints, for their goodness.

This religious fervour they have carried far and wide and the testimony of this are their annual gatherings in India, England, Canada, Africa, Persian Gulf, Australia, etc.

Those who have gone before us, marked with the sign of faith, yet kept alive the rich tradition of our religious folk songs, composing and singing them at various occasions, we living, just cannot forget them.

I shall mention just two personalities of the past era who played a significant part in arousing in the hearts of the subsequent generations the best of praise in folk song which in turn has resulted in having at least half a dozen composers from Saligao to set music especially to liturgical and religious words. These hymns are today sung in all the churches and chapels in the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman.

The first personality that comes to mind is Joaquim Antonio Mascarenhas who gave us the hymn “O Brihante e a estrela!” Brass bands, especially those in Bardez, play the tune of this hymn during festive processions and in the Saligao Church it is sung with much gusto and enthusiasm. It is a hymn that elevates the spirit of the Saligao villagers towards their patroness Mae de Deus. It brings into play the inner emotions of our hearts and minds. It is a song that unites us, builds a community, evoking nostalgia for the village regardless of where in the world the person might then be.

O Brihante e a estrela,

Com rutilos brilhos seus (2),

Nao se comparam com Ela,

Virgem pura, Mae de Deus.

Coro: Salve, Santa Mae de Deus.

Nossa Guia e Protectora

Salve, Rainha dos Ceus,

Sacratissima Senhora

The other personality is Santana Gabriel Vaz, from Mudd’davaddi in Saligao, who composed a hymn in honour of St. Anne.

Santa Ana Mai amchi,

Sodanch templan ti magnnem kortali

Aplim dukham golloitali,

Aplo kusvo uzvaddai mhunntali. (2)

Such is the power of this hymn that it brings Christians and non-Christians alike at her feet in the chapel of St. Anne at Tabravaddo, Saligao, every year.

We hope that the current generation of youngsters of Saligao will spend some moments of their time to learn the art of Mozart. Luckily we have teachers interested in imparting this musical knowledge to our youngsters of our dear village even in our days. May our villagers make their mark in every field of music and compose new religious and other folk songs to praise God, Mother Mary and Saints in heaven and entertain with religious fervour their own brethren here on earth. This is the earnest desire of the elders of Saligao.

The Saligao parish in Goa has been celebrating the “Passos” (Passion Play) in the Mae de Deus Church over the years during Lent. The church has the images of all the Passos and they are held at the church on every Sunday evening during Lent, except one Passion play which takes . . . → Read More: The Passos at Saligao Church]]> by Fr. Nascimento Mascarenhas

The Saligao parish in Goa has been celebrating the “Passos” (Passion Play) in the Mae de Deus Church over the years during Lent. The church has the images of all the Passos and they are held at the church on every Sunday evening during Lent, except one Passion play which takes place at St. Anne’s Chapel on Palm Sunday.

On the 5th Sunday of Lent, Saligao village celebrated the main Passo, commemorating “Jesus carrying the Cross, meets His most afflicted Mother.” A lot of preparation went into the erection of the stage and dressing of the image of Jesus in purple, crowned with thorns and carrying the cross, as well as that of Our Lady, in blue, and depicting a crescent silver crown and seven silver swords on her chest.

The sacristans and the men folk of the village gathered at the church in the morning. On an especially erected dais, the two images were dressed and the cross draped with “jelles” and kept one behind the other. In our times a black curtain covered the images from the view of the faithful. At a given signal during the sermon, the curtain was raised and the images were on full view. After a short meditational break, the sermon would continue. During those old times there was no Mass in the evening. But there was singing of the Penitential Psalms by the priests, followed by a sermon on the Passion of Christ.

Procession

Then the procession began. The sacristan with the bell for “escanso” (rest) and the altar boy with a cross led the procession, followed by little boys and girls in a double line. Next came older girls and ladies, sodalities, boys and men, followed by confrades with their white opa and red murca (opmus) holding candles. These were followed by the bearers with the image of Jesus carrying the cross. The image was always carried along in the procession by strong confrades in turn, and there were four boys carrying supports to bear the weight of the image when the procession came to a halt.

Behind these groups was the priest carrying the image of Holy Wood (Lenho Santo), followed by motete singers and the brass band that played penitential tunes. Our Lady, on a specially-made pedestal, arrived next. She was carried by other confrades, and another four youngsters with wooden supports to hold the handles of the pedestal and image walked alongside.

Descanso

Prayers were conducted by each section of the crowd, but when the bell was rung for the “descanso” all kept quiet and listened to the motete sung by four cantors accompanied by violins and clarinets.

In Saligao we had three “descansos”. The processional route was from the Church to the Aula. Then the procession turned and moved in the direction of the tinto and turned again at the tinto facing the Church, walked down the Cotula road to wend its way through to the compound of the church. It was a good two-hour walk along this traditional route.

The first descanso was on what is now the CHOGM road, which touched a muddy road with coconut trees on both sides. Through this road in the middle of the fields one reaches St. Caetano’s Chapel, Arrarim. The second descanso was after the Aula turn and the third was near the small diversion on the Cotula-Church Road. At all the descansos, three different motetes were sung with great feeling, which brought repentance to those who were listening and meditating on them, as they rested for a while before continuing on the onward penitential journey. They were sung in Latin as well as in Konkani.

Villagers of the Hindu faith too carried jelles and deposited them at the foot of the images and joined in the procession for part of the way. The soulful sound of the church bell broke the occasional silence of the processionalists. Tents were erected at the spots for the descansos. The confrades and other church association members maintained the order during the procession. They also led the rosaries and hymns.

Veronica Song

Once the procession reached the compound of the church, those who could get seats were considered lucky, while the others stood patiently for another hour or so. The specially-constructed pulpit outside the church had a big tent alongside. It was from here that the Veronica Song would be sung. Everyone one strained their eyes and eyes to see and hear which young lad or lass was singing “the Veronica”.

The mestre tuned his violin to the right tone. The lad cleared his throat and was ready to begin the first lines of the Veronica Song. At the appropriate bar the young fellow opened his mouth in song, while at the same time unravelling a scrolled picture of the Vero Icon (the real face) of Jesus. All admired the way the lad sang the high-pitch note to perfection (it is this note that the young lad/lass had been asked to sing repeatedly, during practice). At the end, the people kissed the face of Jesus from a distance, and the young lad too kissed the picture, rolled it quickly and descended from the tent. The nearby “Houddeveam fullamchim zaddam” kept shedding their flowers even as many of the faithful shed tears during the Veronica song. Later the priest, usually someone invited from another parish, ascended the outside pulpit to unfold the mystery of the Seven Sorrows of Our Lady.

A few of the restless people, instead of listening to the Word of God, were more keen to buy “boje” from Surya of  Cotula. The aroma of the fried snacks tempted the faithful to break their fast… and the “tambddi xerbott” of Harichand, also from Cotula, invited all and sundry to quench their thirst. During the preaching, several people went forward to worship  Jesus and Mary by bowing before their images. Some fulfilled their vows, others did it as a humble gesture of reverence. After the service, as the people departed in silence, the doors of the church were finally opened, and the images kept in the church until the feast of Our Lady of the Sorrows on the following Friday, preceding Palm Sunday.

My only regret

My only regret, and a dream which remained unfulfilled, was that as a young boy I was never picked to sing the Veronica Song! To appease me, in the year 1948, my uncle made me stand on the dining table in our house, handed me a rolled almanac with a picture of Jesus on it and asked me to sing “Ecce Vidimus” (the Veronica Song, “Auchituch Nodor”). The audience was made up of our family members. After the song I walked around the table with the picture, and my “audience” kissed it. I was accompanied on the violin by my uncle. Of course as a priest, I have had ample opportunity over the years to teach the Veronica Song to many, in Latin as well as in Konkani, making up many times over for my juvenile childhood regret.

In an earlier essay (A Red-Letter Day for Saligao) I had detailed the events that took place at the time of inauguration and installation of the image of Mae de Deus in Saligao Church on 26 November 1873. This statue formerly belonged to the Mother of God Friary, located in Daugim . . . → Read More: First Mass in Saligao Church]]> by Fr Nascimento Mascarenhas

In an earlier essay (A Red-Letter Day for Saligao) I had detailed the events that took place at the time of inauguration and installation of the image of Mae de Deus in Saligao Church on 26 November 1873. This statue formerly belonged to the Mother of God Friary, located in Daugim near Old Goa.

The Daugim monastery and its church had been inaugurated on 31 October 1569. But by 1878, the friary had disappeared and the church was in a tottering condition. However, the miraculous statue of Mae de Deus was taken to Saligao on 24 November 1873. The pulpit, the main bell, and three altars were taken to Mapuca Church in 1839. One of the bells and an organ was taken to Moira Church. Another bell adorned the Church of Jua (on St. Estevam island, Ilhas). Two other bells and the reredos (altar backdrop) were dispatched to Assolna Church in Salcete. Then, what was still standing of the Friary and Church after all the years of neglect, was razed to the ground. Only the Cross remained erect, where, for three centuries, the Monastery and Church of the Mother of God once stood.

First Mass

In the new Saligao Church, on 27 November 1873, there was a solemn High Mass with a choir and music in honour of the Patroness of the Church. After the Gospel reading, the well-known preacher and one of the greatest luminaries of the Goan clergy, Rt. Rev. Canon Rosário de Melo preached a very stirring sermon. This was the first mass celebrated in the newly built church. After the solemn Mass, the miraculous image of Our Lady Mae de Deus was ceremoniously installed in the niche of the side altar dedicated to Her.

On the same day three baptisms were held in the Church at regular intervals. An 8-year old boy, of non-Christian parents from Parra, was the first to be baptised in the Saligao Church. He was given the name Simão and was baptised by Rev. António Correa dos Reis Coelho, President of the Governmental Junta of the Archbishopric. His godfather was José Luis Fernandes from Saligao.

The second baptism was that of Maria Expectação Anna Candida Avelina Pinto, from Cotula. She was born on 7 June 1873 at Salem, Salvador do Mundo and baptised at home by Rev. José Francisco Pinto, Parish Priest of Salvador do Mundo, in articulo mortis(danger of death). However the supplementary ceremonies of baptism were performed in Saligao Church by Rt. Rev. Chief Ecclesiastical Judge and Promoter Domingos José Rafael Pinto, Parish Priest of Panjim. She is the daughter of Fortunato Martinho Pinto (Saligao) and D. Anna Clara Rosária Soares e Pinto (Salvador do Mundo)

The third baptism (supplementary ceremonies) was performed by Rev.Fr. Joaquim Bernardo da Lima, Parish Priest of Socorro. The child was given the name Rita Maria Amalina Cordeiro, having been earlier baptised in articulo mortis at home by António Xavier de Sousa, cleric with minor orders (menorista). She is the daughter of Vitorino Caridade Cordeiro and Anna Severina Fernandes both from Arrarim. She was born on 14 April 1873.

On this and successive days, a great number of devotees from different parts of the territory visited the church and placed their petitions before the miraculous statue and sought the intervention of Mae de Deus.

The Administrative Committee (Fábrica) and other personnel:

Rev. Fr. Vicar, pro tempore……….. President

Manuel António de Souza………….. Treasurer

José Vicente de Ramos……………… Secretary & Member

António José do Rosário e Abreo… Member

Francisco Salvador Pinto…………… Member

António Felipe de Saldanha………… Regedor (Administrator)

Church Personnel:

Parish Priest…………………………….. Rev. Fr. Caetano Xavier d’Abreu

Choir-Master & Teacher……………… António Nicolau d’Almeida

Sacristan…………………………………. Francisco Xavier Fernandes

When I was a young lad growing up in Saligao, Goa,  back in the 1950s, we didn’t celebrate Christmas in the village the way it was celebrated by fellow villagers living in other parts of the world, where British and Western traditions prevailed. Theirs were luxuries we couldn’t afford.

We knew about . . . → Read More: Christmas in Goa]]> by Mel D’Souza

When I was a young lad growing up in Saligao, Goa,  back in the 1950s, we didn’t celebrate Christmas in the village the way it was celebrated by fellow villagers living in other parts of the world, where British and Western traditions prevailed. Theirs were luxuries we couldn’t afford.

We knew about “Father Christmas” (Santa Claus) and the toys he gave to little kids. But my mother, who didn’t think it necessary to spend money on toys, had told me much earlier that there really wasn’t a Santa Claus. So, our Christmases revolved around the nativity scene – the stable where Jesus was born, the star that guided the Three Kings to Bethlehem, and the Christmas carol, Silent Night.

Fortunately for me, the parents of my buddies were just as frugal as my mom, so none of us had any toys to show and tell for our Goan Christmas. But we had other things to brag about that we constructed with our own little hands – like the props for the nativity scene and the traditional internally illuminated star.

The nativity scene (“crib”) was set up on a small covered table in the sitting room, each Christmas in Goa. We’d make a stable out of a cardboard box, top it with straw, and paint the sides to look like stone blocks. Then we’d lay out all the figurines of Mary, Joseph and the infant Jesus in the stable, surrounded by sheep and cattle and other farm animals. Flanking the stable would be figurines of the Three Kings.

As far as I can recall, most of the figurines were beautifully carved and to scale. And they were probably antique, having been passed down from one generation to the other. But, alas, I didn’t recognize their value at the time.

Then we’d work on the star, the most romantic and beautiful symbol of a Goan Christmas! The star was made out of narrow flexible bamboo slats of sizes ranging anywhere in length from about 18 inches to 24 inches, sometimes longer, and covered in coloured tissue paper.

The way I assembled my star was to start with two frames, each made up of five slats of equal length tied in the shape of a five-pointed star. I would then tie the two frames together at the five points before placing short bamboo trusses between the frames to create a bulge in the middle. The next step would be to glue coloured tissue paper over the frame with a sticky paste of flour and water. The letters ‘HAPPY CHRISTMAS’ would then be cut out of red coloured paper and stuck over the central panel. Finally, the star would be hung in the balcão (balcony) and illuminated with either a candle or an oil lamp.

My friends and I would then call on each other to determine whose nativity scene or star was the best, each Christmas in Goa. And I always came out on top, thanks to my dexterity with a penknife and a natural gift for drawing.

But, regardless how good or how crude the construction, the warm glow of that star, hanging in the balcão of homes silhouetted against the dark backdrop of tropical trees under a clear starry night, was something to behold and Christmas in Goa was always heart-warming and mellow. It exuded an aura of peace and tranquility, it lifted our spirits in hard times, and it etched itself indelibly in the memories of anyone who ever experienced Christmas in Goa.

Have you ever had the opportunity to observe a beehive at close quarters, watching those industrious creatures going about their business vigorously and tirelessly? With our own busy lives these days and also the rapid spread of urbanisation, even spotting a beehive is a rarity. But when I was a young . . . → Read More: The top job]]> by Fr. Nascimento Mascarenhas

Have you ever had the opportunity to observe a beehive at close quarters, watching those industrious creatures going about their business vigorously and tirelessly? With our own busy lives these days and also the rapid spread of urbanisation, even spotting a beehive is a rarity. But when I was a young lad growing up in Saligao, things were different. The beehives on the belfry of the Saligao church were a treat to watch.

Our “gang of four” – Salvador Mascarenhas, Johnny Machado, Dominic Andrade and myself — focused our eyes on the hives, waiting for honey to fall into our mouths. Of course nothing of that sort happened. The bees swarmed around unconcerned, their rhythmic buzzing adding to the bel canto of the Saligao choir singing inside the neo-Gothic church led by our famous choir master, the late Eustaquinho D’Souza from Dakhtem Morod.    

The bees were unaffected by the tolling of the bells, which were rung at different times and in different patterns and sequences, each signifying a different ritual, occasion or event, such as before the start of the Mass, the Angelus, deaths and funerals, weddings, processions, etc. The bees kept busy, unflustered by the resonant clanging produced by our familiar bell ringers José, Menino, Pascoal (Pasku) and Moti (Mateus) from Bairro Alto. The bees did not sting the sextons, nor did the sextons plot to smoke out the bees or bring down the hives. Not even the sparrows and doves during the day nor the bats at night disturbed the bees that diligently served their Queen.

During the day Fr. Roberto Vaz, the popular Parish Priest of Saligao, kept an eye on the village youngsters lest they disturb the bees by throwing stones at them, leaving the Rectory priests and the church personnel in danger of being stung. But nothing like this ever happened, at least not during the fifties when we were around. Quite logical actually, as the village of Saligao was never witness to any battles in its history, so the villagers were not in the habit of aiming and shooting!

Cotula apiary

Dr Ramiro Rodrigues, who lived in Cotula near the home for the aged, had an apiary on his premises. He was highly engrossed in his hobby of rearing bees for the production of honey. Being a very good apiarist, he was able to collect a lot of honey and stored it in bottles in the many antique cupboards he had in his house. I used to visit Dr Ramiro occasionally, and he always welcomed me. He was also an avid reader and had a number of valuable books; some of them today adorn the shelves of the Xavier Centre of Historical Research at Alto Porvorim. 

In his compound Dr Ramiro had several wooden boxes specially constructed for bee-rearing. Swarming multitudes of bees entered and exited these boxes in tandem. The nectar-gathering bees buzzed around the flowers in the garden. One day I took a look into the honeybee hive in his apiary. The bees were as busy as, well, bees! Some were building the cells to store the honey, others were guarding the stored honey; there were “chef” bees who made the “bee bread” to feed the baby bees; some bees fanned their wings to keep the hive cool. One big bee was the Queen. She had lot of servants who washed and combed and fed her. She laid eggs that hatched into baby bees so the hive would stay full of workers. It took all kinds of bees to do the many kinds of jobs that made the hive work. I know that this description may seem rather simplistic nowadays, but it was fascinating to my young mind at the time.

 Today I am in pastoral work, based at the Holy Spirit Church in Margao. Other priests are in charge of parishes, and we also have bishops, archbishops and cardinals, each with different tasks and responsibilities. It takes all kinds of people and talents to do God’s work here on earth. Not every job seems to be a “top job” and not everyone can be a queen bee. But the good Lord has an important job for each of us. One way to serve Him is by being kind to our friends or helping our people at home and in the neighbourhood. Whatever may be our task, if we do it for God, it is a TOP JOB. May Mae de Deus help us all — the busy foxes of Saligao!