PANAJI
Standing tall in a prime location at Tivim in North Goa, the church of St Christopher is celebrating 400 years of its existence in Goa. A peek in the history tells us that the church was consecrated in 1623 as a church. To celebrate the 400 years of its existence, the church has started conducting various activities, programmes involving the parishioners from 18 wards.
The parish priest Fr Mariano Silveira who took over the charges of this church in 2018, has been active in conducting various programmes for the church communities in all 18 wards and 2600 parish that are associated with the church. He makes regular visits to the families, bringing youth together and involving them in sports, socio-cultural activities, retreats etc. Fr Mariano, accompanied by assistant parish priest Fr Glorio Barbosa and chaplain of Our Lady of Lourdes Chapel (Cansa) Fr Joulon Dias carry out the multiple programmes efficiently and successfully.
Stating that the preparations for the centenary year celebrations have long started, Parish priest Fr Mariano Silveira briefs on the church activities, and its involvement with the local communities. “We religious gatherings, novenas, Christmas programmes and crib decorations, musical performances etc,” says Fr Mariano. He mentions about the walking pilgrimage, wherein parishioners from all wards walked toward the church.
“The church will celebrate the feast of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour on October 25 and the novenas will begin from October 16. There would be three novenas, 6.45 am, 9 am and 4 pm till the feast day, on which there would be four novenas – 6.30 am, 8 am, high mass at 9.30 am and 4 pm.
The church comes out with a quarterly bulletin which is bilingual – in English and Konkani elaborating the happenings during that trimester. Fr Mariano briefs on the extension work that’s being going on in the church premises. “Very soon we would be having some new facilities here, and we have planned the inauguration of the extension building on Goa Liberation Day, December 19. We are all excited to throw open our new extension building to the public,” stated Fr Mariano.
The church has an interesting history. It is said that the church was built with funds collected from the surrounding villages Sirsaim and Assonora apart from Tivim after the original construction was damaged in fire. It is mentioned that the church was rebuilt in 1685. The year mentioned on the Coat of Arms on the Façade is 1627. The Coat of Arms includes the ‘Chagas’ or the five wounds of Jesus Christ.
The church is dedicated to St Christopher, the martyr-saint who is believed to have carried the child Jesus on his shoulders, experiencing the ‘weight of the world’. The name St Christopher means ‘Carrier o Christ’ (Krist Vorpi) and St Christopher has become the patron saint of all travellers.
In the year 1927 Dr Angelo D’souza from Siolim, and a practicing physician in Tivim, presented to the parish a large and artistic altar dedicated to Our Lady of Perpetual Succour. In the month of May 1951, a newly ordained priest Rev Fr Inocencio Correa was suddenly and miraculously cured of a deadly haemorrhage which was draining his life away after he prayed to Our Lady of Perpetual Succour to cure him. He vowed to spread the devotion to Our Lady wherever he was posted.
After serving in Guirim as the Assistant Parish Priest and starting the devotion to Our Lady of Perpetual Succour there, he was posted to Tivim in the church of St Christopher. He writes in his own words, ‘It was the church of Tivim which Our Lady of Perpetual Succour has chosen to be the allowed spot of her predilection where she would shower her graces on her clients and where I would fulfil integrally the promise, I made to her in a moment of dire affliction.’
When Fr Correa arrived in Tivim in June 1955 he must have been surprised to see an altar already dedicated to Our Lady of Perpetual Help. This is a unique altar, the like which is not seen in any other church in Goa. And this is what might have given him that extra stimulus to spread the Devotion of Our Lady. The Wednesday Novenas to Our Lady first started in July 1955.
For the 400 years that have passed the Christians in Goa preserved the faith through tribulations, tempests, and good times, including the 68 years of the Marian devotion the parishioners of Tivim sincerely thank Our Lord Jesus for his blessings and our heavenly mother for her intercession and constant protection.
