Sào Sebastiao or Saint Sebastian, Patron Saint of our Parish Aquem, was a renowned personality of his time, who underwent lots of suffering pain, torture only to safeguard our faith.
He was a true disciple of Jesus. He proclaimed Jesus and faced death due to his open confession of Christianity.
A brief history of his life. He was born in Narbonne France in 256 AD and was martyred in 288AD in Rome, Italy. According to the traditional belief he was killed during the persecution of the Church. He was tied to a tree and shot with arrows, but he survived this attack, and as per the book he was rescued by Saint Irene, of Rome, who treated him of his wounds and he was healed.
After his recovery he began to proclaim the Good news. He went back to the Emperor Diocletian to warn him of his sins and as a result he was clubbed to death.
He was a soldier in the Roman Army. Due to his incredible service he was promoted to serve Practorial Guard to protect Emperor Diocletian.
However when the authorities came to know about his faith and that he was converting many soldiers to Christianity, he was ordered to be killed and thus he went through this martyrdom.
His mortal remains are housed in Rome, in the BASILICA APOSTOLORUM which was built by Pope Damascus I in 367AD.
There are a few Churches in Goa in honour of Saint Sebastian. There are many chapels too in his honour and one amongst them is our very own at Aquem, since 1560AD.
Our Chapel was affiliated to the Navelim Parish. However this Chapel has been elevated to the status of Saint Sebastian Church on 3rd November 2002.
This Chapel was dedicated to Sào Sebastiao on 29th February 1560 when TIPU SANTU NAIK SARDESSAI a resident of this place embraced Christianity and took the name of Sebastiao Coelho, my first ancestors and dedicated this place in honour of Saint Sebastian in his private Chapel.
The Feast day according to the Catholic calendar is on 20th January. However we in Aquem celebrate on the last Sunday before lent.
This Saint is a powerful healer of various ailments of skin, leprosy and other maladies, including small pox too.
Even in the Konkani Rosary in his honour we reflect on the virtues of his healing the sick and suffering.
We are honoured and privileged to have this powerful intercessor in our midst, in whom we can always recourse, to mediate with God on our behalf and heal us of all our ailments.
Sào Sebastiào… ORA PRO NOBIS.

Rosarito Coelho