PANAJI
Christmas may be one of the most exploited of Goa's festive seasons to woo the tourists and soar the footfalls but on Tuesday-Wednesday midnight it was the deeply spiritual and solemn Eucharistic celebrations that pulled the crowds of native Goans by the thousands.
Like every year, a majority of Goan Catholics stuck to the spiritual, heading to parish churches and other venues for the solemn midnight mass services to herald the memory of the birth of Jesus Christ over two millennia ago.
Bells chiming at churches and chapels, besides colourful fireworks displays in a few places, announced the start of Christmas day, dot at midnight with the Goan Catholic community being led in the spiritual celebrations by Cardinal Felipe Neri Ferrao who presided over the midnight mass celebrated outside the Basilica at Old Goa.
At most of the venues, the services began well before midnight, with the congregation joining in the ceremonies leading to the tradition of placing the image of child Jesus in cribs as choirs sang carols before the actual liturgical service.
Celebrating midnight mass to mark the birthday of Jesus is a tradition in the Roman Catholic Church with origins in the fifth century. However, it became popular only seven centuries later.
Goans have been sticking to this tradition for decades, participating in the liturgical services at midnight and post the mass, spilling into community celebrations and festivities.
Most midnight services were held outdoors either in the open air or in shamianas and pandals specially erected for the service.
A few years ago, the spectre of the sound laws which permit use of amplified sound systems only up to 10 pm, had threatened to disrupt the midnight services and were left to the mercy of lenient authorities.
Elsewhere, including in the metropolis of Mumbai, the Christmas services are held between 8 pm and 10 pm to beat the sound laws. Goa to this date, however, continues with this tradition of midnight services as the authorities have included Christmas eve, Christmas Day and Boxing Day (December 26) among the dozen days in a year where the sound pollution laws are relaxed.
Nonetheless, parish priests and parochial administrators follow the procedures and seek express permissions from the authorities for the use of sound systems at midnight services as a measure of abundant caution.
