Panaji: When the relics of Saint Francis Xavier are taken from the Basilica of Bom Jesus to the Se Cathedral around 300m away, they will be transported in a solemn procession rarely before seen in the history of the Exposition.
Only those handpicked by the Exposition committee will be part of the opening procession on Thursday, while other devotees have been requested to either walk, if there’s space, or “stand in a reverent way” and watch from outside the human chain. This human chain, formed by 1,500 youth, will stretch from the gate of the basilica right up to the main door of the cathedral.
One of the most important events of the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman, the procession that will commence the 45-day decennial Exposition will bring into focus Goa’s culture through a specially-assembled 80-member brass band, and reflect the Church’s tradition through liturgical banners.
Inter-religious harmony will also be on display, with participation of representatives from the Hindu and Muslim communities.
“This time, we have tried to give a lot of importance to the procession,” convener of the Exposition committee of the Archdiocese, Fr Henry Falcao, told
TOI. “The Eucharist is the most important celebration of our faith. That is a liturgical event, and the procession is a paraliturgical event. But we wanted to give a solemnity to this procession since it is being watched the world over.”
Since 1952, the public exposition of St Francis Xavier’s relics has been held at Se Cathedral, Goa’s mother church and the seat of the archbishop. All these years, select devotees would carry the silver casket on their shoulders from the basilica, but that practice has now been discontinued; instead, the relics will be carried in a specially-built electric carriage.
The relics will be brought down on Wednesday evening in a private ceremony, with Archbishop Felipe Neri Cardinal Ferrao in attendance.
From the sacristy, where the casket will be kept overnight, the relics will be carried by Jesuit priests till the main altar, while a second group, comprising representatives of the Exposition committee and the Exposition secretariat, will take it forward from the main altar till the centre of the basilica. A third group will take charge from the centre till the main door, where the casket will be handed over to 12 police inspectors, who will then load it onto the specially-built electric carriage.
The procession will begin with the altar servers, the cross bearer, and behind them will be representatives of various associations and movements like youth, Legion of Mary, Society of St Vincent de Paul, Confraria, and Fabrica.
“There will also be representatives from the Hindu and the Muslim communities, who will walk alongside us to show the Church’s efforts to enter into a dialogue and live in communal harmony with everyone. There were requests that Hindus and Muslims be given a chance to carry the casket, which we have not fulfilled because of liturgical reasons,” said Falcao.
Religious sisters, priests, seminarians, canons of the Cathedral chapter and bishops will walk in front of the carriage. “Behind the carriage will be the cardinal, because he is the one who will preside over the procession,” said Falcao.
The 80-member brass band, a first for the procession of the relics, will complete the procession lineup. “That was an idea that struck me because in most of our churches in Goa, we have this tradition,” said Falcao. “Whenever we have a feast, a patron feast in Goa, there is always a brass band. Before Mass, even between Masses, after every procession, there’s a brass band. This has been the tradition, the culture of Goa, so when reflecting, I thought, why not have a brass band for one of the most important processions for the Archdiocese?”
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