An article, from Goanet, for those of our co-villagers whose vaddo feast 
it is this Sunday (almost today!) FN

-------- Original Message --------
Subject:        [Goanet] July 26 – THE FEAST OF ST. ANNE AND ST. JOAQUIM
Date:   Sat, 25 Jul 2009 20:27:34 +0530
From:   Domnic Fernandes <[email protected]>
Reply-To:       Goa's premiere mailing list, estb. 1994! 
<[email protected]>
To:     Goanet Goanet <[email protected]>



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* G * O * A * N * E * T **** C * L * A * S * S * I * F * I * E * D * S *
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  Sangath, www.sangath.com, is looking to build a centre for services,
  training and research and is looking to buy land of approx 1500 to
  2000 sq mtrs betweeen Mapusa and Bambolim and surrounding rural areas

If you have land to sell, please contact:

[email protected] or [email protected] or phone +91-9881499458

http://lists.goanet.org/pipermail/goanet-goanet.org/2009-July/180028.html
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Anne and Joaquim were
grandparents of Jesus Christ.  They were
an exemplary couple.  Theirs was the best
family next only to their daughter’s, Mary’s, which comprised of Mary, Joseph
and Infant Jesus.

 

Anne and Joaquim spent most of
their time in prayers.  They were simple,
pious, God-fearing, patient, kind-hearted and a peaceful couple.

 

When Mary was three years old,
Anne took her to a temple and offered her to God’s service and thus she
fulfilled her promise.

 

In the past, people only
celebrated St. Anne’s feast on July 26, and St. Joaquim’s feast was celebrated
in August.  However, in the recent past
we have been celebrating their feast jointly on July 26.

 

This feast gives us an
opportunity to remember our old parents, grandparents and other elderly people
in our neighborhood/parish, who may be ailing in their homes and helpless.

 

They looked after us and took
care of us when they were in good health. 
Today, they are old and frail and need our assistance and shelter.  Just 
because they are old, we should not dump
them in a corner or admit them to Old-Age homes.

 

We must behave with
responsibility towards our old parents, grandparents and other elderly people,
and set a good example to our children, as otherwise they will follow and repay
us in the same coins as per the good old Konkani saying:  “Korta tea mapan 
bhogta” (You get repaid in
the same coins.)

 

At this great feast, let us
emulate St. Anne and St. Joaquim, follow in their footsteps and promise to look
after and take care of our elderly.

 

St. Anne’s feast is celebrated
all over Goa but it is celebrated with more
fervor in the South.  Per my knowledge, besides
Telaulim (Santana), the following churches in Goa
are dedicated to St. Anne:

 

Parra Church


 

Olavlim (Pomburpa) Church


 

Boddiem (Tivim) Church


 

Ponda Church


 

Agonda Church, and 

 

One chapel in Saligao.

 

In Anjuna church, we have an
altar on the left of its entrance dedicated to St. Anne.  At home, we still 
have in our oratorio or
olotor a small wooden statue of St. Anne, which was brought from our maternal
grandparents’ house in Benaulim around sixty years ago.

 

St. Anne’s feast is also known as
“Tovxeanchem fest” (Feast of Cucumbers.) 
This being the season of “tovxim” (cucumbers), people offer the
vegetable at the feet of St. Anne and make a humble request.

 

The tovxeanchem feast is
celebrated with great pomp and gaiety at the 310-odd-years old St. Anne Church,
Santana-Telaulim.  The historic church is
unique in the whole of Asia for its hollow
walls and is one of the best examples of Indian baroque.  It is a heritage 
monument of great importance
in Goa.

 

The church was founded in 1577
but was rebuilt by Msgr Francisco de Rego 1681-1689, and completed by his
successor, Fr. Antonio Francisco da Cunha in 1695.

 

It is believed that while the
edifice was under construction, an old lady appeared in a vision to a senior
villager and she told him that the church was her home and she wanted to live
in it.  Another old lady from the village
also saw the same vision.

 

The church had not been dedicated
to any patron saint till then.  And so,
the church was dedicated to St. Anne.

 

Newly wedded couples go to
Telaulim, offer a cucumber at the feet of St. Anne and petition:  

 

Portuguese:  ‘Senhora, tomai pepino, dai me menino’; 

 

Konkani: ‘Saibinni, hem tovxem
ghe ani mhaka ek ballok di’ (Our Lady, take this cucumber and give me a child.)

 

It is not only the childless
couples who go to Telaulim, bachelors and spinsters, too, go there.  Bachelors 
take a long spoon and petition:
 

 

Portuguese:  ‘Senhora, tomai colher, dai me mulher’; 

 

Konkani: ‘Saibinni, hem kuler ghe
ani mhaka bail di’ (Our Lady, take this spoon and give me a wife.)

 

Similarly, spinsters take some
lentils and beseech the saint:  

 

Portuguese:  ‘Senhora, tomai urido, dai me marido’; 

 

Konkani: ‘Saibinni, hi uddid-dal
ghe ani mhaka ghov di.” (Our Lady, take this uddid-dal and give me a husband.)

 

It is a tradition that has been
followed for long and is significant to the things presented.  A ‘kuler’ 
(spoon) relates more to women and
‘ballok’ (infant) to the males.

 

The feast of St. Anne and St. Joaquim
falls on July 26, but in Telaulim it is celebrated on the last Sunday of the
month – this year July 26th is a Sunday. 
Other parishes celebrate the day as ‘Grandparents Day.’

 

Here are the lyrics of two hymns
dedicated to St. Anne:

 

1.

 

SANT AN, TUJEM SUFOLL JINNEM

 

Sant An, tujem sufoll jinnem

Devu zala natu tuzo

Somi mhozo, Raza mhozo

Dan-dhorm, Maie, thoru tuzo

 

Tujem ge nanv novia porim

Ana mhonnge kurpa thori

Kurpest astam thori zali

Devan Apli aji keli

 

Tuje kuxim sodoiv lenki*

Deva-Mata Ankvari ieki

Tiche kuxim Deva Putu

Maie, tuzo mogall Natu

 

Tujem ge bhag anond thoru

Bhoddveam modem ason koru

Lenki Ranni, Natu Raza

Vhoddu Ranni mhonntit tuka

 

Tuzo poti Jokim Bhoktu

Devach’ azo pritivontu

Bhoktam modhem manu bhogi

Siason kelam Natva lagim

 

Sant An, Maie, amchi sasai

Chumbon korun tuje ge pai

Kurpa amkam dig e thori

Amche pasun vinot kori!

 

2.

 

SANT AN, TUM GE DEVA-AJI

 

Sant An, tum ge Deva-aji

Porob palltanv azu tuji

Devan tuka keli thoru

Amche pasot vinot koru

 

Ana mhollear kurpa thori

Amchea atmeant kurpa bhori

Tuji lenki* Devu-Mata

Dev-lenk* tuzo natu zata

 

Zannttea voiar** gorbest zalii

Deva-Matek zolma haddlii

Mon’xa-vorgak xanti dilii

Kurper-kurpa amkam zoddlii

 

Tuka keli Rannie-mata

Jezuk tum ge Natu lekhta

Jem tum Tache lagim magta

Tuka To tem sodanch dita

 

Sam Jokinchi tum ge kanta***

Dev-Matechi tum ge mata

Devu tuka aji mhonntta

Srixtti tuka noman korta

 

Tum ge amchi za xar’tinni

Borea margak lai svaminni

Bodol amcheo papi jinni

Pavoi amkam sorga-jinni

 

  
*Lenk = put; Lenki = dhuv

 

** Zanttea voiar = Piraer

 

***Kanta = Potin

 

There is one litany in Konkani
and one rosary of Saint Anne sung in Parra church.

 

I wish all the Goans a happy
feast of St. Anne and St. Joaquim - Boas Festas!  And congratulations to all 
grandparents!

 

Moi-mogan,

 

Domnic Fernandes

Anjuna, Goa

Mobile: 9420979201


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