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OLD GOA: As the 44-day Exposition of the sacred relics of St Francis Xavier
nears the end, thousands of pilgrims thronged the Se Cathedral to venerate the
relics as the last day for public veneration is on Saturday.03 Jan, 2015,
12:05AM ISTA- A+Share on facebookShare on twitterShare on
google_plusone_shareShare on pinterest_shareMore Sharing Services0OLD GOA: As
the 44-day Exposition of the sacred relics of St Francis Xavier nears the end,
thousands of pilgrims thronged the Se Cathedral to venerate the relics as the
last day for public veneration is on Saturday.However, to accommodate more
pilgrims, veneration timings have been extended by three hours and will end at
10 pm even as the church authorities dispelled rumours that the Exposition
period has been extended. (Report on page 5)
========http://www.heraldgoa.in/Goa/Veneration-of-St-Francis-Xavier-relics-ends-today/82967.html
Veneration of St Francis Xavier relics ends todayTiming extended by 3 hours –
to end at 10 pm today; Church authorities say there is no extension of the
exposition period; praise all around for smooth conduct of event03 Jan, 2015,
11:52PM ISTA- A+Share on facebookShare on twitterShare on
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HERALDOLD GOA: As the 44-day Exposition of the sacred relics of St Francis
Xavier nears the end, thousands of pilgrims thronged the Se Cathedral to
venerate the relics as the last day for public veneration is Saturday.A long
queue of pilgrims was witnessed outside the Se Cathedral on Friday; however, to
accommodate more pilgrims, the timings were extended by 3 hours and the
veneration would end at 10 pm, on the last day. Speaking to Herald, Exposition
Committee Convenor Fr Alfred Vaz informed that the relic will be taken back to
the Bom Jesus Basilica, as scheduled on Sunday (January 4) and there is no
extension of the exposition period as is being rumoured in some quarters. Fr
Vaz expressed happiness at the smooth functioning of the exposition and said
people from Goa, outside Goa and outside India have generally given good
feedback at the manner in which the exposition was held. “It was also a good
experiment to have an Exposition Secretariat at Old Goa, which helped in the
smooth functioning,” Fr Vaz informed. When asked whether any shortcomings were
noticed, Fr Vaz said the Exposition Committee will meet after the Exposition
ends and evaluate and only then the shortcomings, if any, will be brought to
the notice. Fr Vaz further praised the government authorities for ensuring
round-the-clock uninterrupted supply of water and electricity, which went a
long way in ensuring a smooth exposition.“Every day, around 300 volunteers
including NSS volunteers rendered their selfless service, which also
contributed towards the success of the exposition,” he added.Meanwhile, Herald
could not get the exact number of pilgrims that visited Old Goa to venerate the
relics of St Francis Xavier.Fr Vaz informed that initially the Church
authorities used to keep a daily count. “But later, the count was kept by the
police,” he said.When the police control room was contacted, the personnel
informed that they also do not have the count and asked Herald to contact the
Old Goa PI for it. But PI Krishna Sinari also informed that the count is not
available with him.
Relics to return to Basilica
OLD GOA: The closing ceremony of the Exposition of the sacred relics of St
Francis Xavier will be held on January 4.The veneration of the sacred relics of
St Francis Xavier will go on till 10 pm on January 3 and there will be no
veneration of the relics on January 4.Masses at the Basilica of Bom Jesus on
the closing day will be at 6 am, 7 am and 8 am. The relics will be taken in a
procession from the Se Cathedral to the Basilica of Bom Jesus at 9.30 am,
followed by a Solemn Concelebrated Mass presided over by the Apostolic Nuncio
Salvatore Pennacchio along with Archbishop of Goa and Daman Filipe Neri Ferrao,
Archbishop Blasco Colaco, Archbishop of Gandhinagar Stanislaus Fernandes,
Bishop of Sindhudurgh Alwyn Barreto, Bishop of Jaipur Oswald Lewis, Bishop of
Agartala Lumen Monteiro and others.The Basilica of Bom Jesus will remain closed
for visitors on January 4. A Konkani operetta ‘Mahan Porgottnar’ by Pilar Music
Academy will be staged in the Basilica pandal on January 4 at 6.30 pm.
