FEAST OF ST.XAVIER FRANCIS

THE APOSTLE OF THE EAST n THE PATRON OF THE INDIES!

3rd,December,2009,

12.30p.m

Thursday

Dear Friends,

Good Afternoon!

Thanks a million for your best wishes n heartfelt warm greetings for the union of Jeevz n Sandy!the function was excellent n the traditions n culture of our state were followed beautifully!to the request of the friends,Sandy sang the hit number,'Kuch na kaho...............'.that was real cool.the cake was in the shape of two rings and the couple cut the cake with a sword!:)the whole ambience was so romantic.jeevz has imported the flowers for stage decoration n the swinging sofa looked so great!as the invitation was sent in advance,the couple did a quiz on 'how much do u know us?'and fabulous prizes were given for the winners!the pepper n salt stands for the tables were brought from Bangok!

today is Parashurama Jayanthi! oday is St.Xavier's Feast n it is a state govt.holiday.the feast will be celebrated at the Basilica of Bom Jesus in Old Goa.the feast mass,at 10.30 am was celebrated by the bishop of Belgaum,Rev.Peter Machado,while Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrao and Archbishop Emeritus Raul Nicholau Gonsalves will concelebrate along with several other priests.besides the feast massat 4a.m,5a.m,6a.m,7a.m,8a.m,4.30p.m,5p.m and 6p.m.

St.Francs Xavir was born on 7th April,1506 in the kingdom of Navarre and died on 3rd December in Shangchuan Island,China at teh age of forty six.he was venerated in Roman Catholi Church,Lutherana nd beatified on 25th.October1619 by Paul V.St.Francis Xavier was canonized on 12th,March 1622 by GregoryXV.he was one of the founding members of teh society of Jesus,also known as the Jesuits.

In the1970s,the then Prime Minister of India,Mrs.Indira Gandhi said,''When someone falls ill in India,whether he is aMuslim or Hindu,we invoke the name of St.Francis Xavier''.Francis Xavier walked past this planet nearly five centuries back and even today in this fast-paced globalized and consumerist world,lakhs of devotees from different ends of the earth throng to Old Goa year after year to pay homage to this great person.many pilgrims walk miles n miles to reach the destination and some of the stay in the corridors of the Basilica for the entire entire period of nine-day novena.

Today th legendary toe of St.Francis Xavier,that was bitten off by a Portuguese noble lady will eb exposed in Lisbon,Portugugal.History and legend combine to say that in 1554,when the body of St.Francis Xavier arrived in Goa fourteen months after his death on the island of Sancian,it was kept for venerationand aPortuguese lady Dona Isabel Carom is said to have bitten off the toe from the right foot,in the possession of the famly of the Count of Nova Goa,that will be on Public viewing today.

There are a large number of relics of St.Xavier's body spread over the world.Today a major portion of the body,termed as the ''sacred relics of St.Francis Xavier''rest in acrystalurn that has been encased in a silver casket kept atop a marble mausoleum in a chapel dedicated to the saint n in the Basilica of Bom Jesus at Old Goa.

St.Francis Xavier had special affection for the lepers,prisoners,slaves and the poor inhabitants of the Fishery Coast has strong appeal to the lower strata of society.

in Xavier,who served the sick day n night,distributedhis portion of food to them and also gave his cabin to them for rest on board the Santiagoen route to Goa,when scurvy broke out on alarge scale,they find someone who though from nobility identified with the outcastle and destitute of society.

The working classes can identify with what Xavier is saying when he writes in his letter addressed to his superiorgeneral,Ignatius in Rome;"The necessities for life are scarce in Maluco,Socotra and Cape Comorin;and the toils of body and spirit are surprisingly great in dealing with people of this type.the languages in these regions are hard to learn and the dangers to body and soul are moreover great and difficult to avoid".

there is a village called Jamboti in Karnataka tucked up in the Western Ghats,about seventyfive km from Mapusa town.in this once sleepy but now fast developing village there are a few families who have been walking to Old Goa for the feast for years n years.it is afamily tradition passed on from generation to generation and they ensure that at least one member of the family walks to Old Goa,even if the others are unable to go.

Today close to alakh of people will file past the mausoleum seeking blessings from the saint and venetrating his relics.at other churches in Goa too the feast of the saint will be celebrated and his relics revered.

I have visited this church many times n lighted the candles. i feel really nice when there is no crowd and I kneel down and pray wholeheartedly.Maza studied in St.Xavier's College,Mapusa.My little Star loves praying in churches.I admire Amma for her great thought on communal harmony and broadmindedness;we have Jesus Christ's picture in our pooja room!and on the eve of X'mas night when the clock strikes 12,n the midnight mass begins,Amma gets up and prays to Jesus!I love you Amma to the sky!

seeking blessings of St.Francis Xavier,

it's Anu signing off................

Friends,I won't be able to visit your blogs n write new posts may be for a week,as I am flying tomorrow to the popular state of biriyanis n bangles!:)I would like to express my sincere n heartfelt thanks to all my people,friends n readers.please do keep visiting or browse through the older posts!:)

once I am back, I get frightened of the piled up office work!so,right now I want to forget office n colleagues n let me get excited of my journey!
today the curtain will be drawn for the Inernational Film Festival n the megastar of Malayalam,Mammoty will be the main attraction of the concluding ceremony.

Happy Internet Friendship Day!

wishing a wonderful day ahead,

requesting you to keep in mind,Anu loves you all,

sneham,

Anu