Passion of the Christ at Santa Cruz
BY CLARA A RODRIGUES
The villagers of Santa Cruz have come together to stage a mammoth passion play.
Passion plays are commonly performed during Lent, which is the time we contemplate the sufferings Jesus underwent to save us from sin. Commercial tiatr troupes mostly put up Lenten plays during this time. It is quite rare now to see a play being planned and executed at a village level.
The people of Santa Cruz have, however, for the past couple of years staged Lenten plays but the one that they have put up this time is a masterpiece says a villager. Titled ‘Via Dolorosa’, which in Latin means a sorrowful experience, this play is based on the Bible. Fr Cristovao Caldeira, the parish priest, says that no one claims authorship to the play, but it has been adapted into Konkani by three people from the village. And the response has been overwhelming.
The actors in the play are mostly amateurs and all from the village. Despite being first-timers the dialogue deliveries and expressions have been superb. Around 100 people are acting in the play. To manage such a huge cast was surely not easy. Fr Caldeira says Fr John Fernandes, Dyonisia Julia and Peter Barbozo played a pivotal part during the rehearsals.
The play which is very touching is a complete vision from the Bible right from the history of salvation, to the glory and assumption of Mary. The play lays a lot of stress on Mother Mary reposing faith in the dictum, ‘To Jesus, through Mary’, scenes from when Mary was a child to her assumption are beautifully enacted. Poignant among them is the sorrow she experienced in God’s plan for man’s salvation.
The music that has been used for the play has been recorded by the villagers in a studio. The costumes too have been up to the mark, with the clothes trying to complement the style of those days.
The play shows the miracles Jesus performed - turning water into wine, healing the leper, bringing a dead child back to life, etc. A little dramatic colour in the form of the Jewish dance, Mary dancing giving glory to God, a Roman on a real horse scourging Jesus, etc, were effective in keeping the audience glued to their seats.
The play has been staged on a long stretch of fabricated three-tier stage. The scenes have a lucid flow and coupled with excellent backdrops, light and sound effects you can actually see the characters in the Bible come alive.
http://www.navhindtimes.in/iwatch/passion-christ-santa-cruz-0
(The Navhind Times)
Korezmachea Kallar, Jivit Novsorounk Kalapurchi Firgoz ghodun haddta
"Via Dolorosa - Koxttancho Ounbhov (Sorrowful Experience)"
Somazik ani otmik dakhounn, tujem khoxtti jivit folladik zaunk
Marsache 20, 21, 24 ani 25ver, 2010
sanjechea 7:30 vorsancher, Santa Cruz Igorjeachea adrar
Songit: Fr. Bernardo Cotta
Rong-berongi nesounn
500 metre stage (1+1)
mon bhulovpi dhekave
100 odhik kolakar
anjache nach
Moriche koxtt Jezuchea koxttank sor korunk zait?
Moreche koxtt amakam ek foler?
Moreichem jivit sorginchi vatt?
Ie ani polle !
Tujem mhonvall kalliz khontovtolem,
Devachea voibhovak axetolem.
Entry Free
Parishes may contact Santa Cruz Church Office for free passes.
[Info source: As published in Herald]
[Forwarded by Domingos Araujo, Odheox, Kala Mogui Kuwait]
20/03/2010
www.goa-world.com
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Via_Dolorosa
