On August 15, India commemorates two significant events: India’s Independence Day and the Feast of the Assumption of Mary. This day is a powerful reminder of both national pride and spiritual devotion.
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
01, 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, honor, 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 15th 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 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 5th of August, every
year. The parish of Rachol, celebrates their ‘novidade’ on the Sunday following
July 05. Aldona celebrates it on Aug 06. On the 10th of August, the
parish of Sinquerim, North Goa, dedicated to Saint Lawrence, celebrates the ‘novidade’. However, as mentioned above,
most of the parishes across the state celebrate the ‘novidade’ on the 15th of August, 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 6:00 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
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 morning family would be offered patolleo by their close neighbors.
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 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 legal husband, Saint Joseph, is also invoked as a patron of Good Death.