Betalbatim News

The Lent season starts from ash wednesday and Santos Passos is an important part of lent.   Santos Passos in Portuguese means "Holy Steps" and signifies the journey of Christ to Calvary. Santos Passos is a depiction of the ordeal, contemplation and suffering of Christ before being crucified.  Parishes that conduct Santos Passos on only one particular day during Lent hold a procession accompanied by the life-size statue of Christ carrying the cross. Also, the life-size statue of Our Lady of Seven Sorrows joins the procession midway depicting the biblical account of Mary, the mother of Christ meeting her son who is being taken to Calvary to be crucified.

Our Lady of Remedios Church, BETALBATIM

Procession through the ground

Mother Mary meets Jesus Throughout the procession both these statues are only carried by men wearing "Opa Mursa" which is a red and white cape, explains Fr Seby Dias, assistant parish priest of Holy Spirit Church, Margao. These men are known as "Irmaos" or Confrades, which are members of the Confrarias or associations of the church.

Night view of the church