400 years of Carmel in India

On 9th February 2019 early morning buses and cars marched from parts of Goa towards old Goa, to the location of the first monastery of the Carmelites in India, founded in 1619. As we reached there the location gave an amphitheatrical view…it looked old with reconstructed ruins of the first carmelite church and smelled very natural with surrounding trees and bushes.

Very Rev. Fr. General, Definitors, Provincials of the Order, representatives (fathers and brothers) of all Indian fathers and a good number of local lay faithful reached the location to celebrate the commemotlrative mass of the 4th Centinary of Carmel in India.

At 7.45 am the Solemn Mass began by Fr. General as the main celebrant and around 130 fathers as concelebrants. Fr. Archiebald welcomed everyone, Fr. General delivered the homily, Fr. Johannes thanked the congregation as well as the organisers for the festive ceremony.

Having worshipped the Lord for the gift of martyrs Blessed Dionysius and Redemptus Fr. General and the Definitors placed wreaths on the three new tombs, which were excavated inside the church plot. One of the tomb is said to the tomb of the rest of five martyrs of Persia, brought to India by the first missionaries.
After a group photo and refreshment all dispersed to their locations and houses to be back on 10th February for the seminar and concluding mass of the Jubiler in Se Cathedral, Old Goa. On 10th morning all Carmelite frairs form different provinces and other religious from different congregations gathered at sè cathedral and had the breakfast at 8 ‘0’ clock. At 9 ‘0’ clock with the inaugural function seminars on various aspect of Carmelite presence in India started. Evening at 4 ‘0’ clock the solemn Eucharistic was celebrated at Sè Cathedral  Basilica. It was presided over by Dr.  Filipe Neri Ferrão, Bishop of Goa. The day came to an end with the light and sound narration of the Carmelite history in India.