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From: Oscar & Hazel Lobo <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Reply-To: "Goa's premiere mailing list, estb. 1994!" <goanet@goanet.org>
To: goanet@goanet.org
Subject: [Goanet] Patron Saint of Goa
Date: Mon, 28 Nov 2005 07:16:30 -0500
Most of our Goans when we celebrate the feast of St. Francis Xavier on 03
December we mention him as the Patron Saint of Goa. In Konkani we call him
Goencho Saab and or Goencho Pai.
I thought St. Catherine was the Patron Saint of Goa.
Can someone please clarify this as many of us continue to mention St.
Francis
Xavier as the Patron Saint of Goa.
Oscar Lobo
Dear Oscar,
A place may have more than one "Patron Saint", as a saint may have
multiple patronage.
Thus although St. Catherine of Alexandria (feastday November 25, the
day Afonso de Albuquerque conquered Goa) is the earliest Patron(ess) of
Goa, to whom the Sé Cathedral is dedicated, so is also St. Francis Xavier,
more by popular acclaim.
And, the latest (official) patron of the Diocese of Goa and Daman is our
own Blessed Pe. José Vaz.
However, when Bl. Vaz is eventually canonized he will be known as
St José Vaz of Sri Lanka as it is customary for a saint to be named after
the place od his/her death. The feast day is also the respective death
anniversary, except in three cases.
FRANCIS XAVIER, is also known as Apostle of the East
Memorial: 3 December
Profile: Nobleman from the Basque reqion. Studied and taught philosophy at
the University of Paris, and planned a career as a professor. Friend of
Saint Ignatius of Loyola who convinced him to use his talents to spread the
Gospel. One of the founding Jesuits, and the first Jesuit missionary.
Priest.
Born: 1506 at Javier, Spanish Navarre
Died: 3 December 1552 at Sancian, China of a fever contracted on a mission
journey
Beatified: 25 October 1619 by Pope Paul V
Canonized: 12 March 1622 by Pope Gregory XV
Patron of folowing: African missions; diocese of Agartala, India; diocese of
Ahmedabad, India; diocese of Alexandria, Louisiana; Apostleship of Prayer;
Australia; black missions; archdiocese of Bombay, India; Borneo; archdiocese
of Cape Town, South Africa; China; diocese of Dinajpur, Bangladesh; East
Indies; Fathers of the Precious Blood; foreign missions; Freising, Germany;
Goa India; diocese of Green Bay, Wisconsin; India; archdiocese of
Indianapolis, Indiana; Japan; diocese of Joiliet, Illinois; diocese of
Kabankalan, Philippines; diocese of Malindi, Kenya; missionaries; Missioners
of the Precious Blood; missions, foreign missions; parish of Navarre, Spain;
navigators; New Zealand; parish missions; plague epidemics; tailors;
Propagation of the Faith
Representation: crucifix; preacher carrying a flaming heart; bell; globe;
vessel; young bearded Jesuit in the company of Saint Ignatius Loyola; young
bearded Jesuit with a torch, flame, cross and lily.
Alfred de Tavares,
Stockholm, 2005-11-28
