A priest is seen on the deck of a fishing boat on Saturday.
VASCO
The fishing community in Kharewaddo and other parts of Vasco on Saturday morning celebrated the feast of St Peter and St Paul, also known as ‘Sangodd’, with traditional fervour.
The feast marks the blessing of the sea as well as the boats of the fishermen for the new fishing season because it is believed that St Peter is the patron of fishermen and was one of the apostles of Jesus and a fisherman himself.
At Kharewaddo, the fishermen celebrated the feast and marked the day with prayers to the saints to bless the sea, their equipment, and their lives in the course of their occupation.
The priest conducted solemn prayers and showered holy water followed by a Litany with the gathered fishermen.
According to All Goa Fishing Boat Owners Association President Jose Philip D’Souza, the feast began with the offering of prayers and a religious service at the Old Cross Chapel at Kharewaddo by the priest in the presence of a large number of fishermen.
“Then in a procession amid hymns, the priest carried the statue of St Peter from the Chapel to Kharewaddo fishing jetty where prayers were offered at the Chapel on the jetty before the priest went on beautifully decorated fishing boats with colourful balloons, coconut palms, flowers and other decorative items and ventured forth into the Arabian Sea as part of their annual tradition,” said D’Souza.
“The priest also invoked divine blessings to protect the fishermen when they venture into the sea for fishing activity,” he added.
