Panaji — Many pilgrims from Belagavi, Kolhapur and areas within Goa arrived on foot on Wednesday for the feast of St Francis Xavier or Goencho Saib in Old Goa on December 3 as the nine-day novena and spiritual preparations drew to a close.

Pilgrims, from various parts of Goa, were seen walking to Old Goa late into the night to attend the first mass at 4am on Thursday. Eucharistic services commenced on November 24 under a shamiana outside the Basilica of Bom Jesus.

The High mass will be celebrated at 10.30am with Auxiliary Bishop of Bombay Dominic Savio Fernandes as the main celebrant. Archbishop Filipe Neri Ferrao, Archbishop of Sindhudurg Allwyn Barretto, archbishop emeritus Raul Gonsalves, apostolic nuncio emeritus Blasco Colaco and other priests will be concelebrants.

The other masses will be held at 5am, 6am, 7am, 8am, 9am, 12.30pm, 4pm and 5pm. Two masses at 3pm and 6pm will be in Spanish and English respectively, The Times of India reported.

During the nine-day novena period, masses were also celebrated in French, Italian, Hindi, Malayalam, Kannada and Marathi.

The novena mass at 8.15am was alloted to dedicated to parishes while the mass at 3.45pm was dedicated to the sick, consecrated life, priests and vocations.

The theme for the novena and feast is ‘Honouring St Francis Xavier, let us be fountains of God’s mercy’, which is based on the universal theme for the year -‘Merciful like the father’.

Each of the novenas reflected various aspects related to families and communities.

Thousands of devotees participated in the Eucharistic services during the novena and also paid their respect to the saint, who died on December 3, 1552.