OUR LADY OF FATIMA The feast is celebrated at Baida, chapel on 13/Ocober every year. After prayer service at Chinchinim Church, the procession wends its way to Baida Chapel, where Eucharistic celebration takes place
Another place where this feast is celebrated is monument at Bondorim, Sirlim, Chinchinim Sallcette Goa It is opined as the miraculous site, where faithful, many times sing praises of Our Lady of Fatima, after undertaking walking pilgrimage, The attendance at Bondorim is very large, indication of faith and belief of the Catholics. Since it is situated on NH17 it is convenient for Catholics from many far away villages to be present for the celebration The legend says that the statue of Fatima from Portugal was kept for veneration at Panjim , Margao, Mapusa. Dr Alvaro then mayor of Margao decided it to bring to Chinchinim for night vigil from 8 P.M till morning, Unfortunately, the vehicle broke down at Bondorim and people of the place started prayers and adoration till the vehicle was repaired at around 3.a.m Villagers of Chinchinim kept waiting to receive the statue at the Church It was on 9 December, which date is similarly celebrated at Bondorim .The beautiful monument is a tribute to the memory of that unscheduled stop The apparition of Our Lady at Fatima lasted from 13 May to 13 Oct, on which day the visible sign was witnessed by thousands Hence it is officially announced and accepted by the Church .Our Lady has appeared in various places, notably at Lourdes, but the church has not officially approved apparition at many sites ,People rush to various sites and holy places for pilgrimage ,sometimes out of popularity and curiosity The message at all places is the same. PRAY, PENANCE/ SACRIFICE,CHANGE OUR MIND AND RENEW. Faithful find easy to follow religiously the first two messages. But change in attitudes and behavior remains a far dream. There is a real need to get out of our sinful state, hatred. anger, vices animosities, etc by introspection and determination to change and renew our hidden life of sin, God in the old testament has asked to repent before punishment is meted out in disobedience of His message If on every feast day we piously celebrate, if there is no change and desire to abandon our sinful life, it is a wasteful exercise of just sticking to plain rituals , traditions and external customs. Nelson Lopes. Chinchinim
