Every year, on the second Monday of October, the Church of Our Lady of Mercy, in Colva, celebrates the Colva Fama. A feast of the celebration of infant Jesus. During the feast, a wax statue of the infant Jesus is brought down from the altar and venerated by the devotees. Folks say the statue has miraculous powers.
According to a 17th-century legend, a Jesuit priest and sailor, Fr Benito Fereirra, sj. found the statue off the coast of Mozambique. When Fr. Benito gotwas posted to the church of Our Lady of Mercy, in Colva, Goa, he brought the statue with him and enthroned it on an altar in the church.
Pic credit: joegoauk
Later, when he was transferred to the Rachol seminary, he took the statue with him to the seminary. The villagers begged him to return the statue but he refused. Disappointed, the villagers made their way back. On their return journey, they found a diamond ring (the same ring that was on the finger of the infant Jesus). They rejoiced, went back, made a replica of the statue and put the ring on its finger. Parishioners of the nearby villages of Colva, Sernabatim, Gaundalim and Velim, contributed towards building a separate altar for the statue. To this day they still venerate that statue, which they say has miraculous powers.
During the feast called Colva Fama, devotees are seen queuing up to kiss the statue and offer wax images of different parts of the body (that need healing). The fama is followed by a nine-day novena which culminates in the feast on the 27th of October. Every year, thousands of pious and loyal; devotees throng to the feast. They seek the blessings of Menino (infant) Jesus.
Pic credit: Facebook Goenkar23
Today, Monday 16th October 2017 (the second Monday in October), is the date when this novena begins. It will end on the 27th October. Villagers and tourists, people of all faiths, come to pay homage to the Menino Jesus
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