Team Goemkarponn
ST JACINTO: Residents of St Jacinto Island on Sunday observed the traditional Santos Passos ritual with devotion and reverence, as the sacred cross was ceremoniously carried from the village church to the hilltop as part of the annual religious observance.
The procession witnessed participation from several villagers who gathered early in the day to take part in the solemn ritual. Dressed in traditional attire, volunteers carried the decorated cross through the narrow village roads while prayers and hymns were recited along the route. The procession moved slowly towards the hilltop, symbolising the suffering and sacrifice associated with the religious tradition.
The Santos Passos ritual is an important part of the religious calendar for the Catholic community of the island and has been observed by residents for generations. Devotees walked along with the cross, maintaining silence and prayerful reflection as the procession made its way uphill.
Former minister Jose Philip D’Souza also took part in the observance. Speaking on the occasion, he said the Santos Passos ritual holds deep spiritual significance for the people of the island and continues to be preserved with great devotion by the community. He said such traditions not only strengthen faith but also bring villagers together in a spirit of unity and shared heritage.
Several parishioners and elders of the village were present during the ceremony. The ritual concluded with prayers offered at the hilltop, after which devotees dispersed, marking the completion of another year of the longstanding religious tradition on the island.
