Hundreds of parishioners, relatives and guests celebrated Konsachem Fest across the State. The statue of the Saviour of The World was carried in a ceremonial procession to the paddy field in front of the church as the parishioners lined up all around to witness the annual spectacle.
In a tradition that dates back 300-plus years, every year on August 5, villagers of Raia converge to celebrate the age-old ‘Konsanchem Fest! This year too, the feast was celebrated with pomp and gaiety, especially when his Grace Rev. Bishop Theodore Mascarenhas descended into the fields along with the parish priests to bless and cuts the first sheaves of paddy, using a silver sickle, to ceremoniously reap the fruits of the farmer’s labour. As per local folklore, this sickle is believed to have been sent by the Pope all the way from Rome.
The feast celebrates the cutting of the first sheaves of Konsa’ of the rice harvest. To commemorate it, villagers participate enthusiastically and collect the blessed sheaves. Raia was the first village to bless and cut the corn. It may be recalled that in the book of Genesis, Abel offered his best sheaves of corn to God. While the Church was built by the Gaunkars of Raia and Camurlim in the year 1699, this traditional ceremony of cutting of the corn was later introduced and made part of the feast at Our Lady of Snows. On the auspicious occasion of the feast day, thousands of people come together for the ceremony and masses. Suresh Satarkar said, “This feast unites friends. Let the blessings of the first corn be the blessings for everyone. We exchange greetings with each other, a true example of communal harmony too.” Joel, a resident of Raia who used to stay in Mumbai said, “This feast unites friends. The blessings of the first corn is a blessing for everyone. We exchange greetings with each other, a true example of communal harmony too. “
There were ‘kermes’ and food stalls put up by parish youngsters on the feast day. In addition various entertaining games and Goan special ‘sanas’ and sweets were available in food stalls.
“In the good old days, after the corn was blessed and cut by the priest, we used to pack some of this corn in envelopes and post it to our friends in different parts of India,” said Domnic Quadros. A large fair was held where sweets, earthen pots, vases and other items were sold.
There were also ‘kermes’ and food stalls put up by our parish youngsters on the feast day. Wherein various entertaining games and Goan special ‘sanas’ and sweets will be available in the food stalls.
In Saloi, Salvador do Mundo, hundreds of parishioners, relatives and guests participated in the colourful procession led by parish priest Reverend Fr John Fernandes. The statue of the Saviour of The World was carried in a ceremonial procession to the paddy field in front of the church as the parishioners lined up all around to witness the annual spectacle. After blessing the newly grown crops,
Fr Vaz, using a unique ‘Golden Sickle’ cut the first sheaves of paddy and offered it to the saint in a solemn ceremony.
Offering the High Mass, the main celebrant on the occasion Fr Leo Fernandes, Secretary at Pastoral Secretariat in the august presence of Fr Sanny Fernandes, Rev Fr Mousinho de Ataide,
Fr Valerian Andrade and Fr John, exhorted the youths to follow the path of Lord Jesus by serving others Selflessly by caring and loving one and all as the festival also coincided with the World Youth Day.
“When we think of the saviour of the World, we must keep Jesus’ teachings in mind to take it forward as Jesus is the perfect law giver. We must take responsibility to carry his work and create leaders,” said Fr Leo who went on to say, “We must always be very progressive and bring novelty in our life.”
Fr Leo emphasized, “We must care for nature as we are the stewards to save it for the future generations. Come together to bring one thought and build a small community to empower everyone.
We must move from our thought being ‘My’ concept to ‘We’ all together. If we are part of celebrations then we have to be together during suffering too.” It was a day to celebrate as parishioners, relatives and villagers settled far and wide to seek blessings from the saint and exchange pleasantries in a very festive atmosphere. Many parishioners carried the sheaves of paddy as blessings from the saint and sweets and Chonne for the palate. Ceremonial feast mass had an unusual beginning with an musical invocation in the form of dance by the students Andrea de Souza, Alithea de Souza, Anushka Fernandes and Jecia Silva from Chubby Cheeks School, all residents of Donwado to dawn in the festive atmosphere.