from deccan herald July 12 Navy order to 'shift' Anjadip church upsets Goa Christians
>From Devika Sequira DH News Service PANAJI, July 11 A directive from the Naval authorities at Project Seabird, Karwar, asking the Catholic Association of Goa to remove the 500-year-old church on Anjadip Island, has upset the Catholic community here. The directive, signed by Commodore B R Rao, Station Commander, Karwar and addressed to the president of the Catholic Association of Goa reads: "Since various construction activities including the construction of very sensitive facilities will commence in the core area as per the Master Plan and keeping the nation's security in mind, it will not be possible to permit the visitors to Anjadip Island beyond May 2003." "In view of the foregoing, you are requested to make necessary arrangements to shift the church from Anjadip Island by May 2003," the letter concludes. Though Anjadip (known in Goa as Anjadiva) was fromally handed over to the Navy for the Seabird project over a decade ago by the Goa government, no definitive decision had been taken about the fate of the Church of Our Lady of Brotas which dominates the small island. The Church is technically under the Archdiocese of Goa, and pilgrims from Karwar and elsewhere were allowed access to it twice a year, in February and October for prayers during the feast. Two years ago, a delegation of the Catholic Association was given an assurance by the Navy that the church would remain untouched, points out the president of the All India Catholic Union Emilia Menezes. Dr Menezes says the Anjadip church is both archaelogically and historically significant for the Christian community. It was one of the first churches built in India. It was here, she says, that the first four conversions to Christianity in this part of India took place. "We have no objections to pilgrims -- who are allowed there only once a year now, being put through stringent security measures. But we cannot accept someone asking us to pull down a centuries-old church," she says. In any case, how and where, ask Christians here, will they shift a 500-year-old Church?/ends =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-W-E-B---S-I-T-E-=-=-= To Subscribe/Unsubscribe from GoaNet | http://www.goacom.com/goanet =================================================================== For (un)subscribing or for help, Contact: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Dont want so many e=mails? Join GoaNet-Digest instead ! =-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= Help support non-commercial projects in Goa by advertizing!! * * * * Your ad here !!
