An Insight into St. Sebastian’s Chapel, Arpora
Mr. Sebastiao Pinto
Clara Pinto, belonging the family Pinto’s in Candolim was married in Chorao and had a son by the name of Sebastiao diagnosed with serious illness and was about to die. She made a vow that if the child survived, she would build a chapel dedicated to St. Sebastian on the property in Arpora that she had received as a dowry gift where existed a small farmhouse built by her. And in this Chapel, she would install a statue of the size of the child. At the age of 20 the child died. After the child’s death she took under her care her nephew also supposed to be the great grandfather of Sebastiao Pinto. They applied to the Archbishop for permission to celebrate the Eucharist in the Chapel. A decree was issued on March 11th, 1716, granting permission that the mass celebrated therein would be valid for the Pinto family and their staff. The family refused to accept this. They wanted the mass to be valid for the family and the villagers of Arpora and as such the second decree issued April 12th, 1793, which granted the requested permission.
Another family, the D’Cunha family are related to the The D’Cunha family employed as a professor in the Lisbon, became Atheist. The family in Arpora was disturbed and prayed to St. Sebastian to bring him back to Catholic faith. After some time, he wrote to them that he had given up Atheism and joined back to the Catholic Church. He told them that he would be coming to Goa. They wrote to him that on his way back to Goa he should come via Rome and bring a relic, of St. Sebastian. This relic we venerate to this day on the feast we celebrate on January 20th.
Saint Sebastian
Sr. Jovita Mendonca FDCC
Sebastian was born at Narbonne, Gaul. He became a soldier in the Roman army at Rome in about 283, and encouraged Marcellian and Marcus, under sentence of death, to remain firm in their faith. Sebastian made numerous converts: among them were the master of the rolls, Nicostratus, who was in charge of prisoners and his wife, Zoe, a deaf mute whom he cured; the jailer Claudius; Chromatius, Prefect of Rome, whom he cured of gout; and Chromatius’ son, Tiburtius. Chromatius set the prisoners free, freed his slaves, and resigned as prefect.
Sebastian distinguished himself and for his excellent service, he was promoted to serve in the Praetorian Guard to protect Emperor Diocletian. Neither knew that Sebastian was a Christian. While serving as a Praetorian Guard, Marcus and Marcellian, twin brothers, were imprisoned for refusing to make public sacrifices to the Roman gods. The brothers were deacons of the Christian Church. During their imprisonment, their parents visited them to implore them to renounce Christianity. However, St. Sebastian convinced both parents to convert to Christianity.
St. Sebastian was venerated at Milan as early as the time of St. Ambrose and was buried on the Appian Way. He is patron of archers, athletes, and soldiers, and is appealed to for protection against plagues. Archers riddled his body with arrows, his body was described as, “full of arrows as an urchin.” Believed to be dead, the archers left his body for retrieval and burial. He was recovered by Irene of Rome, whose Christian husband was a servant to Diocletian and also martyred. Irene discovered that Sebastian was still living and she hid him and nursed him back to health.
He is patron saint of athletes because of his physical endurance and his energetic way of spreading and defending the Faith. His efforts kept the Faith of Marcus and Marcellian firm during their persecutions, right up to the time of their martyrdom.
Feast 2024
5:15 PM Rosary followed by Mass
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