Exactly 506 years ago on 22nd August 1500 the first
HOLY MASS was celebrated on the Island of Anjediva
area 340 075 hectares of Canacona taluka near Binaga
in Karwar. Later this Island became a part of Goa when
some of the Novas Conquistas Talukas came under
Portuguese rule ---now it has been granted on
8/12/1987 to the Indian Navy (the seventh largest Navy
in the world) for its Sea Bird project INS KADAMBA
however it is still a part of Goa as it has not been
ceded till this date by an Act of Parliament.
It was Rev Fr Henrique de Coimbra a Portuguese native
and eight other Franciscans who had anchored at this
Island that celebrated the FIRST Mass in a small
non-descript chapel.
The small structure of a Chapel was eventually raised
to what is now the Our Lady of Springs "Nossa Senhora
de Brotas" or affectionately called by hindus and
catholics alike "Zorinche Saibinn" . It is the first
Church built in 1506 by the Portuguese in India (2nd
Church built is the St Catherine of Old Goa nearly 10
years later) much before the birth of St Francis
Xavier and 156 years before the Taj Mahal was built.
Later it was partially re-built in 1682, the present
ediffice was built in 1729.
In the 16th century the Pope conferred on it the
status of the Mother Church. Its side altars bear the
insignia till this date.
The Church is a historical archaeological and a
living momument where Holy Mass is celebrated
periodically and hence denial of access by the Navy
amounts to denial of right to practice one's religion.
The Defence Ministry is now contemplating opening up
the Island for the feast of St Francis de Assisi on
4th October 2006 -----(and next on 2 February 2007 for
the feast of Our Lady of Springs (Brotas)---- Though
this Chapel a little away from Our Lady of Springs
(Brotas) Church it is now in partial ruins. ( see
picture of this writer in the ruined Chapel on
www.colaco.net)
It is the callousness of the Archdiocese of Goa &
Daman, Archbishop Emeritus Dr Raul Niclau Gonsalves
who then failed to reprimand the Naval authorities to
maintain the sanctity of these structures as was
agreed under the terms of grant of the Island by the
Goa Government to them in 1987.
Even to this date it was courtesy this writer that the
historical island -- site of the Church, the Chapel
the Martyrs Memorial, (in memory of the six Indian
soldiers shot on 22nd December 1961 as the Portuguese
did not realise that Goa was liberated on 19th
December, 1961 ) 44 canons lying there ----which is
the corner stone of the history of the advent of the
Portuguese to Goa in 1510 has been put into
international focus for the highandedness of the
Indian Navy towards civilian sensitivities under a
seemingly false "threat perception" theory which
ironically appears insignificant today given that the
9/11 bombings showed how one could penetrate through
the defence surveillance of the worlds most powerful
nation the United States of America.
As Goan Catholics world over commemorate this
memorable day in the spread of Christianity in the
State this writer pleads with all the powers that be
to do their bit in moving the forces that would see
that the sanctity of the Church the Chapel and the
historicity of the Anjediva Island is preserved as a
vital link in our Goan history.
It is also hoped that the Member of Parliament Mr
Shantaram L Naik who at the behest of this writer
raised the issue on the floor of the Lok Sabha in
and demanded that the Catholic faithful be allowed on
the Island to celebrate the customary feasts also
ensure that due preparedness is intiated by the
Defence authorities to repair the Chapel of St Francis
de Assisi to facilitate the celebration of the Holy
Mass on 4th October 2006.
It also needs to be protected under the Ancient
Monuments and Archaelogical Sites and Remains Act 1958
which act came into effect in Goa from 15.8.1963, but
for reasons unknown the same did not find mention in
the list.
The then Station Commander Commodore B R Rao has m
isled the then Defence Minister Mr George Fernandes
that there were many temples shifted from the island
and therefore Mr Fernandes felt it was only
appropriate that a uniform policy be followed and
hence prohibited the feasts to be celebrated there.
However this was proved false with documented evidence
by this writer and hence the Defence Ministry is now
compelled to honour the terms of the grant of the
island as in 1987 and 1988.
GODFREY J I GONSALVES
BORDA MARGAO GOA
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
9822158584 (24hrs)
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