Sat Nov 02 17:08:58 UTC 2024: ## Goa Celebrates All Souls’ Day with Traditional Rituals and Feasting
**Panaji, Goa:** The annual observance of All Souls’ Day, commemorating the departed, was celebrated across Goa with traditional rituals and a grand feast. The two-day celebration, starting on November 1st, saw Catholics engage in a range of practices, including ringing church bells, reciting rosaries for departed loved ones, and attending multiple masses.
According to Catholic belief, the souls of the deceased can go to heaven, hell, or purgatory. On All Souls’ Day, the faithful are encouraged to pray for the souls in purgatory, hoping to hasten their journey to heaven.
A highlight of the celebration is a grand meal prepared on November 2nd. This year’s feast included traditional Goan dishes like pork, boiled rice, fried fish, prawn curry, pumpkin, and sanna (steamed sweet idly). A unique custom observed by many families is placing food outside their homes for crows to eat, representing the departed family members.
On November 1st, a sweet called ‘godshem’ or ‘vonn’ – made with coconut jaggery, coconut milk, and gram or wheat – was prepared in every Catholic household. Some families left the pot partially open with the ladle placed inside, believing departed souls would partake in the sweet offering.
The Western celebration of All Souls’ Day, which follows All Saints’ Day, also commemorates the departed who have attained the beatific vision. While the liturgical practice of wearing black vestments has been replaced with purple after 1965, the essence of the day remains the same: honoring and praying for the souls of the deceased.
First Piper 