OVERLAPPING DATES OF IFFI WITH EXPOSITION OF SAINT FRANCISCO XAVIER Every year we hear the same story of our Feast and novenas of St Francisco Xavier, where the dates are overlapping with the IFFI and every year the pressure mounts on the public as well as from the organizers of the Church requesting for a change of dates. Last year only the Feast date was preponed but not of the novenas and the Government made it clear and promised that this will not happen in future.Now, once again the request has come in this year itself, from the Church urging Government in power to change the date being now an especial year of the Saint exposition, which comes every 4 years and this year is decided to have it a grand exposition. The way it is going on, with the discussion between the Parish priest of Se Cathedral, Fr. Alfred Vaz and the Vice Chairman of ESG Damodar Naik, it appears that there will not be any change since he assures that both the events are two different things and there is no need for rescheduling the dates and also to discuss with DFF. He also assures that the security at both the places will be in order.Now, what is the people concern is if something misfires than who shall be responsible for it, in event of some untoward serious incident taking place either at the venue of exposition or at the IFFI as they are both grand and international events. Why ESG should be adamant or having an ego for not accepting the request of the Church? Will the sky come down? It is always better to take preventive measures than cure and reschedule the IFFI dates.Now coming to the point where we know that IFFI will be a yearly celebration and the Feast will always be celebrated on the same dates than it is advisable that the Govt, now itself fix a permanent schedule of dates even when there is no exposition of the Saint. The are also chances that the Pope Francis come down to attend the ceremony in Goa. Stephen DiasD.PaulaMob:9422443110Date: 1.5.2014 Damodar Naik Church urges govt to reschedule IFFI dates
Published on: May 1, 2014 - 01:57 More in: · *Goa News*<http://www.navhindtimes.in/category/stories/news/goa-news> PANAJI: Parish priest of Se Cathedral Fr Alfred Vaz on Wednesday said that the state government should make all attempts to reschedule the dates of the forthcoming International Film Festival of India (IFFI), so that the mega film event ends before November 22, which is when the 44-day decennial exposition of the sacred relics of Goa’s patron saint St Francis Xavier will commence at Old Goa. The relics are preserved at the Basilica of Bom Jesus, Old Goa and are opened for the faithful every ten years. The directorate of film festivals (DFF) has recently announced the organisation of IFFI 2014 in the city from November 20 to 30, later this year. The exposition, on the other hand begins on November 22, while the 9-day novenas that precede the December 3 feast of the patron saint commence from November 24. Speaking further, Fr Vaz said that the exposition will be held from November 2014 to January 2015, beginning on November 22 and ending on January 4. “If the government prepones the film festival so that it doesn't clash with exposition, then it would largely suit everyone including the government itself,” he added, pointing out that the government would then be able to focus on the security of the exposition alone, and relieved of dual stress, that of taking care of the film festival and the exposition at the same time.
