Catholic Festivals

Goa has a unique blend of socio-religious culture. Being a predominantly Roman Catholic society, there are more Christian festivals in Goa. The Goanese calendar is marked by several feast days, thanksgiving, monsoon celebrations, and processions, and the temples and churches of Goa are unique in their celebration of these festivals.

Almost every town and city in Goa has a church, which signifies that Christians here form the second largest majority after Hindus. The Christians in Goa celebrate their festivals with much splendor and delight and are worth a watch. Some major festivals celebrated by the Christians in Goa are Christmas, Good Friday, St. Xavier's Feast, Feast of the Three Kings, Bonderam and the Margao Feast.Goa has a rich cultural history and being a part of India itself means having a kaleidoscope of festivals. This small sate of India was under the Portugal rule, Mughal rule and also has a tradition of its own. This has resulted in a unique cultural amalgamation, which is evident from the festivals it celebrates. People in Goa are extremely tolerant of different religions and respect different religious faiths.

Goa celebrates not only Hindu Festival, Muslim Festival and Christian festivals, but also festivals that are exclusive to Goa. Some of these festivals are typical of Goa and can be as Goan festivals. Check out our related sections to have an idea about the major festivals of Goa.The Portugal rule in Goa left a deep and ever lasting Christian influence in this state of India. At that time, people were converted to Christians on a large scale. Though they follow the Christian practices and believe in the Christian faith, but they have not forgotten their roots.

	Church and Chapel Feasts
	The little shrines and crosses that dot the Goan countryside give ample testimony to the devout nature of the Goans. And as dusk veils these religious symbols, the Goemkars rush to unveil the darkness with dozens of candles.

	Bonderam
	One of the festivals from among the many, and which is common to all in Goa is the harvest festival or konsamchem fest. This festival symbolizes the remuneration for the efforts put by the farmers and thanks to the almighty God for the bountiful harvest.

	Carnival in Goa
	Carnival is another festival from the many the Portuguese brought to Goa and has remained even after the change of Governance. Carnival was a populist festival in good old days with lots of people young and old elite and common folk spontaneously participating in it without any qualms.

	Catholic Religious Feasts
	The 40 days of lent begins the celebrations of various feasts in honor of the patron or other saints of the churches and chapels. The month of may is a favored month for such festivities.

	Christmas Festivals
	Christmas is celebrated world over by the Christians as the day of the birth of Jesus Christ. The exact date of Jesus birth is not known, but most Christians observe December 25th as his birthdate.

	Easter
	Easter is the most important Christian festival of the year. Easter celebrates the return to life of Jesus Christ, the founder of Christianity, after his Crucifixion. Jesus return to life is called Resurrection.

	Fama De Menino Jesus De Colva
	In south Goa there is a beautiful village named colva where exists the church of our Lady of Mercy, in which is installed the Miraculous idol of infant Jesus. People from all over Goa throng to this church to pay obeisance to the infant on the day of the fama.

	Harvest Festival
	In goa the harvest Feast is celebrated in the month of August by which time the rice grains are formed. However the feast is not celebrated on the same day all over but on different days.

	Lenten Period
	The Portuguese introduced Christianity in goa and with it the various traditions and customs. The Lenten season in Goa during the past was observed piously and with solemnity.

	Processionn & Saints
	The Lenten period in Goa is observed by the Catholics with due consideration to the liturgical practices laid down by the church.

	Sangodd
	June may be considered as the month of feasts with celebrations of three important feasts of saints of the Roman Catholic Church.

	Sao Joao
	The church celebrates the feast of St. John the Baptist on June 24th.He baptized Jesus Christ on the River Jordan and for this reason he was called John the Baptist.

	Siridao Feast
	With the celebration of Easter the new annual liturgical calendar of the Catholic Church begins. For forty days, Catholics prepare for the resurrection of Jesus Christ with fasting, Prayer and self-sacrifice.

	St Anthony's Feast
	The feast of St Anthony is preceded by a Talies (13 days of preparations) instead of the novena (9 Days) of all other feasts St Anthony was born in Lisbon and died on Padua and is therefore known as St Anthony of Lisbon or St Anthony of Padua.

	St Francis Xavier Feast
	Francis Xavier was born on April 7th 1506 in Navarre in Spain of wealthy and aristocratic Parents. He sailed to India as the papal nuncio. On the Arrival in Goa on May6th 1541 he immediately began to preach and was successful in making converts.

	Three Kings Feast
	The feast of the three kings is celebrated on the 6th of January every year by the catholic church all over the world. In Goa too all the churches celebrate the feast on this day.