VASCO: The feast of St Peter and St Paul was celebrated by fisher community with traditional exuberance and religious fervour across the State on Saturday.
The feast has a special significance for the fishing community in Vasco, since St Peter was a fisherman by profession. St Peter, one of the 12 apostles of Jesus was also the first Pope of the Catholic Church.
A “Sangodd” or procession of fishing boats was part of the traditional celebrations. The priest delivered the solemn prayers and blessed the fishermen and their boats and showered holy water. The priest also called upon Almighty and St Peter to protect the fishermen when they venture into the high seas for fishing activity when the new fishing season commences. It was later followed by a litany.
At Kharewado, Vasco, the fishing community celebrated the feast of St Peter and St Paul. They said that feast marks the blessing of the sea as well as the boats of the fishermen for the new fishing season.
All Goa Fishing Boat Owners Association president Jose Philip D'Souza said that the feast started with the offering of prayers and religious service at the Old Cross Chapel at Kharewado by the priest in the presence of a large number of fishermen. The priest then in a procession amidst religious hymns carried the idol of St Peter from the Chapel to Kharewado fishing jetty where another prayers were offered at the Chapel on the jetty before the priest went on decorated fishing boats and ventured forth into the Arabian sea as part of their annual tradition.