Come September, in each neighbourhood in Goa, the Catholic community gathers at considered one of its brethren's homes to welcome the blessed Mother. There, they pray litanies and rosaries, sing Ave Marias, and then proportion boiled chonne in a spirit of fellowship. And while the tradition of 'Saibinn' — the house-to-house visitation of Mary — could have modified over the years, the passion surrounding it remains to be robust.
No sooner is the banquet of the Nativity of Mary celebrated on September 8, parishes and chapels ship out her statues to all their wards. Then, for the following couple of weeks, she makes her means across the neighbourhood, from one home to some other in a candle-lit procession to a vast repertoire of Marian hymns. Once it reaches the host home, a member of the family leads the community.
into prayer.
But it wasn't all the time like this. Once upon a time, the elders of the house would recite the Lord's prayer and hail Mary often for more than a few intentions. Then, once the visitors left, a member of the family would ordinarily sleep in the room the statue used to be saved. "The family would recite the rosary thrice during the day," says Fr Victor Ferrao, professor of philosophy at Rachol seminary. "Today, the intensity of the presence of the statue of Mother Mary is viewed differently and limited to particular hours of prayer," he says.
Traditionally, the matriarch of the home won and handed over the statue. "In a patriarchal society, here there is an important space defined for women to conduct the prayers," Ferrao says. While 'Saibinn' all the time did its rounds in September, changes had been made as many Goans regularly grew dependent on tourism. Thus, some parishes permit 'Saibinn' in August.
In Mandrem, a route is chalked out in any such means that the houses inquisitive about tourism and closest to the seashore are given choice over the others, a resident told STOI. In Saligao, which has a robust Catholic community, statues are sent out after the banquet of the Assumption on August 15, so that every one homes will also be covered in time.
Church historian Fr Nascimento Mascarenhas lines the history of 'Saibinn' to 1952, when a statue of Our Lady of Fatima used to be brought from Portugal to Old Goa. He says that in that 12 months, 150 makeshift altars had been constructed and 150 masses held. "It was only after this that domiciliary visits the way they happen today started," he says. Another priest, Fr Carmo Martins of Margao's Grace Church, says that the devotion to 'Saibinn' is encouraged via the apparition of our girl to saint Catherine Laboure in Paris, and in addition indicates our Lady's consult with to her cousin Elizabeth.
But the tradition has a sensible function too — of selling team spirit and forgiveness. "The main idea is to keep families united and establish good relationships in the neighbourhood," Fr Martins says.
Those good relationships are maintained and cultivated after prayers, when the host family distributes the 'channa' and other snacks. But modernity has taken its toll right here too. Now, it isn't abnormal for the host to parcel the snacks and hand it over to their visitors as they go away the house. Modern attitudes to environmental conservation have also touched these traditions. In Nagoa, for instance, the parish priest requested his parishioners to adopt eco-friendly behavior and to get rid of all plastic.
'Saibinn', at its core, is a non secular birthday party, and presentations of affluence are strongly discouraged. For example, in some villages of South Goa where well-to-do hosts serve the whole lot from doughnuts to fried rice to stew to as much as even 80 guests, parishioners had been prompt to serve just two pieces.
And while 'Saibinn' visits are inspired, the Church doesn't encourage it as a social legal responsibility lest people forget their other tasks. "People need not spend the entire month going to various neighbours' homes," says Fr Evaristo da Gama of Olaulim's St Anne's Church. "Attending to their families, volunteering their services and taking up social causes are more important than spending excessive amounts of time with religious ceremonies. As Christians, we have to care for society and do good in this world. People cannot get completely alienated spending hours in devotion. Otherwise when will they have time to do good in this world?"
No sooner is the banquet of the Nativity of Mary celebrated on September 8, parishes and chapels ship out her statues to all their wards. Then, for the following couple of weeks, she makes her means across the neighbourhood, from one home to some other in a candle-lit procession to a vast repertoire of Marian hymns. Once it reaches the host home, a member of the family leads the community.
into prayer.
But it wasn't all the time like this. Once upon a time, the elders of the house would recite the Lord's prayer and hail Mary often for more than a few intentions. Then, once the visitors left, a member of the family would ordinarily sleep in the room the statue used to be saved. "The family would recite the rosary thrice during the day," says Fr Victor Ferrao, professor of philosophy at Rachol seminary. "Today, the intensity of the presence of the statue of Mother Mary is viewed differently and limited to particular hours of prayer," he says.
Traditionally, the matriarch of the home won and handed over the statue. "In a patriarchal society, here there is an important space defined for women to conduct the prayers," Ferrao says. While 'Saibinn' all the time did its rounds in September, changes had been made as many Goans regularly grew dependent on tourism. Thus, some parishes permit 'Saibinn' in August.
In Mandrem, a route is chalked out in any such means that the houses inquisitive about tourism and closest to the seashore are given choice over the others, a resident told STOI. In Saligao, which has a robust Catholic community, statues are sent out after the banquet of the Assumption on August 15, so that every one homes will also be covered in time.
Church historian Fr Nascimento Mascarenhas lines the history of 'Saibinn' to 1952, when a statue of Our Lady of Fatima used to be brought from Portugal to Old Goa. He says that in that 12 months, 150 makeshift altars had been constructed and 150 masses held. "It was only after this that domiciliary visits the way they happen today started," he says. Another priest, Fr Carmo Martins of Margao's Grace Church, says that the devotion to 'Saibinn' is encouraged via the apparition of our girl to saint Catherine Laboure in Paris, and in addition indicates our Lady's consult with to her cousin Elizabeth.
But the tradition has a sensible function too — of selling team spirit and forgiveness. "The main idea is to keep families united and establish good relationships in the neighbourhood," Fr Martins says.
Those good relationships are maintained and cultivated after prayers, when the host family distributes the 'channa' and other snacks. But modernity has taken its toll right here too. Now, it isn't abnormal for the host to parcel the snacks and hand it over to their visitors as they go away the house. Modern attitudes to environmental conservation have also touched these traditions. In Nagoa, for instance, the parish priest requested his parishioners to adopt eco-friendly behavior and to get rid of all plastic.
'Saibinn', at its core, is a non secular birthday party, and presentations of affluence are strongly discouraged. For example, in some villages of South Goa where well-to-do hosts serve the whole lot from doughnuts to fried rice to stew to as much as even 80 guests, parishioners had been prompt to serve just two pieces.
And while 'Saibinn' visits are inspired, the Church doesn't encourage it as a social legal responsibility lest people forget their other tasks. "People need not spend the entire month going to various neighbours' homes," says Fr Evaristo da Gama of Olaulim's St Anne's Church. "Attending to their families, volunteering their services and taking up social causes are more important than spending excessive amounts of time with religious ceremonies. As Christians, we have to care for society and do good in this world. People cannot get completely alienated spending hours in devotion. Otherwise when will they have time to do good in this world?"
Mother Mary comes to me
![Mother Mary comes to me]()
Reviewed by Kailash
on
October 23, 2017
Rating:
