The four Marian dogmas of Mother of God, Immaculate Conception, perpetual virginity, and Assumption form the basis of Mariology. However, a number of other Catholic doctrines about the Virgin Mary have been developed by reference to sacred scripture, theological reasoning and church tradition. The fourth Marian dogma is the Assumption of Mary, which is the belief that Mary was taken to heaven—body and soul—and lives there now with God.
Unlike the dearly departed, who live separated from their Earthly bodies until Christ comes again, Mary’s body and soul are already united in heaven. Instead, at the end of her Earthly life, God brought her to paradise with Him in her complete humanity. The tradition of Mary’s Assumption dates back to the earliest Christians, although it was not affirmed as an infallible dogma until November 1, 1950 by Pope Venerable Pius XII. While the Catholic Church and Eastern Orthodox Church believe in the Dormition of the Theotokos, which is the same as the Assumption, the alleged physical death of Mary has not been dogmatically defined.
India’s Independence Day marks the end of British colonial rule in 1947, a pivotal moment in the nation’s history. It represents the triumph of freedom, unity, and the relentless pursuit of justice. Celebrations across the country reflect a deep sense of patriotism, honour, and the ongoing journey towards progress.
The Feast of the Assumption of Mary, on the other hand, celebrates the belief that the Virgin Mary was taken up to heaven, body and soul, at the end of her earthly life. This feast is a cornerstone of Christian faith, symbolizing divine grace and the ultimate fulfillment of God’s promises. The convergence of these two observances on August 15 is a unique opportunity to reflect on the intersection of national identity and spiritual faith. It’s a day that highlights the importance of both secular and sacred milestones, offering a moment to celebrate the resilience of a nation and the profound spiritual heritage that inspires countless individuals.
As we honor India’s Independence and the Assumption of Mary, let us embrace the shared values of hope, freedom, and devotion that enrich our lives and communities.
On this day, most parishes in Goa celebrate the blessing of their harvest, the new harvest that is, and hence the day is referred to as ‘novidade’. Different parishes in Goa celebrate the ‘novidade’ on different dates in August. On this day, the parish priest visits a demarcated paddy field and blesses the new crop. A bundle of blessed paddy sheaves is brought to the church where they are distributed among the congregation (one sheave per family). The family then places this blessed paddy sheave onto their family altar or oratory. Sheaves of the previous year are burnt.
The mother of all celebrations is that, carried out in Raia a village in South Goa on the occasion of the feast of Our Lady of Snows, on August 5, every year. The parish of Rachol, celebrates their ‘novidade’ on the Sunday following August 5. Aldona celebrates it on August 6. On August 10, the parish of Sinquerim, North Goa, dedicated to Saint Lawrence, celebrates the ‘novidade’. However, most of the parishes across the state celebrate the ‘novidade’ on August 15, i.e. the Feast of Our Lady of Assumption. In many countries, the feast of the Assumption of Mary is also marked as a Holy Day of Obligation (obrigação da Igreja) in the Roman Catholic Church.
‘I remember as a child, we had mass at our village chapel i.e the Capela do Sagrado Coração de Jesus at 6 am. Before Mass began, the celebrant priest wearing a white chasuble carried out blessing of the paddy sheaves in an elaborate manner. Today, this is done not in the start but in between the service,” says Agnelo Andrade from Ambajim.
Further, he mentions that these sheaves were placed on a table at the foot of the altar which were then picked up by children who flocked there to grab a sheave. Agnelo recalls the sheave being taken home and being placed on their oratory. “The previous year’s sheave was burnt in a clay incense burner (dhumpel),” he says.
On this day, every Goan Catholic family would prepare ‘Patolleo,’ a rice dumpling stuffed with grated coconut and jaggery, generally wrapped in a turmeric leaf. If at all a family was mourning for someone within their house, the family members were not allowed to use the ‘Copro’ for steaming any food item. Hence, the mourning family would be offered patolleo by their close neighbours.
It is basically a three-day affair with the death of Mother Mary, Veneration, Accession to heaven in body and soul with all the religious fervour and on the third day that is August 15, the solemn feast.
Traditionally, the Feast popularly known as that of Nossa Senhora de Boa Morte or the Feast of Our Lady of Good Death was called the ‘Dormicio de Nossa Senhora’ or the Sleep of Mother Mary. That is the reason why the Church celebrates the feast of Dormicio as it is referred to as in Latin. Since Mary died, she is a help to all in the moment of their death; so that they too may have a good death. Therefore, Mary is invoked as the patron of Good Death. Mary’s husband, St Joseph, is also invoked as a patron of Good Death.