Delhi Archbishop Couto accompanied by 10 other bishops to lead thousands as St Francis Xavier’s sacred relics are unveiled today; 8 million pilgrims from across globe expected
The specially designed EV carriage which will be used to carry the Scared Relics of St Francis Xavier from the Basilica of Bom Jesus to the See Cathedral at Old Goa on Thursday.
PANAJI
The mega religious event billed to attract as much as 8 million people from across the globe is finally here: the decennial exposition of the sacred relics of St Francis Xavier at Old Goa.
After weeks of planning and preparations, Reverend Anil Couto, the Archbishop of Delhi, will lead the congregation of thousands at Thursday morning's Eucharistic celebration inside the Basilica of Bom Jesus.
At least 10 other bishops will co-celebrate with Couto, including Cardinal Felipe Neri Ferrao and Auxiliary Bishop Simião Purificação Fernandes, before the casket holding the life-size relics of the sixteenth century Spanish saint is unveiled and taken in an elaborate ceremonial procession on an e-carriage to the See Cathedral.
A choir comprising 50 musicians and singers will add to the solemnity at the inaugural mass which will be conducted by Fr Romeio Monteiro.
This year's is the eighteenth Exposition which will continue for 45 days until January 5 next year when the casket will make its journey back to the Basilica.
Thursday's inaugural ceremony will feature a few breaks from tradition including transporting the casket in a uniquely designed carriage mounted on an e-vehicle, depicting the mausoleum where the relics are kept inside the Basilica.
Previously, this journey of nearly 500 metres between the Basilica and the See Cathedral used to be on the shoulders of Catholic laity chosen by the Church authorities, who would take turns to shoulder the casket along this route.
The carriage will be tailed by a 100-member brass band which will play to the tunes of three hymns dedicated to St Francis Xavier and will be led by Fr Simon D'Cunha, who heads the Diocesan Commission for Sacred Music.
Meanwhile, the Feast of St Francis Xavier will be celebrated on December 3, where the main celebrant for the Feast Mass will be Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, the Pro-Prefect of the Section for the First Evangelisation and New Particular Churches of the Dicastery for Evangelisation at the Vatican.
Archbishop of Goa Cardinal Filipe Neri Ferrao and other bishops will concelebrate at the Mass with Tagle.
Eventually on January 5, the relics will be taken back to the Basilica again in a solemn procession. Cardinal Ferrao will lead the Eucharistic Celebration closing the Exposition.
Meanwhile, Fr Henry Falcão, the convenor of the committee formed for the Exposition, said that a huge team of volunteers, approximately 1,200 in number, will be deployed through the 45 days of the Exposition.
Additionally, the State administration will also be deploying 1,300 police personnel to manage the traffic and also the rush of pilgrims expected. The police have set up watchtowers at strategic locations from where the area will be kept under surveillance in addition to the extensive CCTV camera coverage of the area.
The government has also built a ‘pilgrim village in the vicinity of the Church complex at Old Goa which was inaugurated by Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Tuesday.
The civil administration has also set up a State-level Secretariat Committee which also includes Falcao and other Church representatives, to oversee the entire event from the government’s side.
Diplomats from 5 nations to attend inaugural ceremony
PANAJI: Diplomats from five different countries will attend the inaugural ceremony of the 18th Exposition of the Sacred Relics of St Francis Xavier at Old Goa on Thursday. Diplomats from the The Holy See, Peru, Argentina, Colombia and Solomon Islands will attend Mass and later venerate the Sacred Relics in the See Cathedral.
These diplomats include the Ambassador of Peru as well as the Deputy Chiefs of Missions from the Holy See Embassy, Embassy of Argentina and Embassy of Peru.
