Cansaulim – A group of about 150 Sri Lankan pilgrims traced a few footprints of Blessed Joseph Vaz in and around Sancoale in a touching pilgrimage on Sunday.
The pilgrims soaked in the ambience of the scenic village on the Zuari riverfront, as their pilgrimage began with a Eucharistic service at the Blessed Joseph Vaz sanctuary, Sancoale, on Sunday, reported timesofindia.indiatimes.com.
Fr Eremito Rebello, vice-postulator for the cause for the canonization of Blessed Vaz, Fr Valerian Vaz, and a priest, Fr Jayalat, from Sri Lanka celebrated the mass.
Fr Rebello, earlier, welcomed the pilgrims at the sanctuary.
The pilgrimage comes in the wake of the run-up to the canonization of Blessed Vaz in Sri Lanka during his visit in January.
Pilgrims from the island nation have been visiting Sancoale and Goa to catch a glimpse of the birth place of the great Goan missionary, who worked diligently to revive the Catholic faith in Sri Lanka.
“He went to Ceylon (Sri Lanka) not to convert people, but, to revive the Catholic faith as they were persecuted by the Dutch Calvinists’ protestantism. Ceylon had Catholicism traditions,” Rebello said.
“We, Lankan Catholic devotees are blessed and humbly imbibe the virtues and example set by Blessed Joseph Vaz to entirely rely on divine intervention,” a pilgrim said.
Yet another pilgrim said, “The fervour of the humble priest Blessed Josephph Vaz is contagious and challenges us Christians to attempt great things for Christ”.
The Sri Lankan group led by Jayalat were later taken on a guided pilgrimage to important sites.
One of them was the site of the ruins of the Church of Our Lady of Health.
The facade of the church still stands on the banks of the River Zuari. “It is here that Blessed Vaz as a young boy received his first holy communion, later, the confirmation and celebrated his first mass after he was ordained priest,” a church leader said.
Ranjit Fernando, a pilgrim from Kandy, said he was overjoyed at visiting Blessed Joseph Vaz’s birth place. “I owe my faith to Blessed Joseph Vaz,” he said. The priest’s tireless work helped the Catholic community in Sri Lanka.
Sources said plans are afoot to celebrate the novena masses and other religious ceremonies including the solemn feast mass of Blessed Joseph Vaz at the site of the ruins of the old church on January 16, 2015, after his canonization and proclamation of sainthood.
The pilgrims also visited the churches and retreat centre in Old Goa and Rachol seminary and the site where the first mass was celebrated by the Jesuits in Cortalim.