Late Blessed Rev. Fr. Roque Zephrin Noronha, Brahmavar – July 23

Blessed Roque Zephrin Noronha was born on 20th Oct. 1850, at Angediva – Bardez, Goa, as the youngest son of Custodio Santa Anna de Noronha and Feleciana Dionisia Assumpcao da Silva. After completing basic education, he joined the Rachol Royal Seminary in Margoa Goa. He was ordained a Roman Catholic priest on March 12, 1881 by Bishop Thomas De Almeda. He served as the assistant vicar of Salvador De Monte Church. Later Father Noronha became the Vicar of Panaji Ribandar Church.

Like Blessed Alvares Mar Julius, Fr. Noronha was also agitated by the situation in Goa. He stood against the atrocities of the Portuguese Government and the Roman Catholic Church. Meanwhile he came into touch with Fr. Alvares and joined him. Fr. Noronha was impressed by the lifestyle and teachings of lamented Metropolitan His Grace Alvaris Mar Julius. As the consecration of Bishop was invoked as Mar Julius, the responsibility of St. Mary’s Orthodox Syrian Cathedral was handed over to Fr. Noronha. He started to follow the footsteps of his role model in high spirits and accepted the ‘Orthodox Faith’. This was because he learnt that St. Thomas had established the ‘Orthodox Community’ 2000 years ago in Kerala, South India.

Rev. Fr. Noronha is the one who preached ‘Orthodox Faith’ to the coastal belt in undivided South Kanara. Fr. Noronha, with a lot of devotion chose the path of the Lord, as his journey of life, as said rightly by Holmes. He was assigned to be the first Vicar General of St. Mary’s Orthodox Syrian cathedral, Brahmavar, which was a thatched roof building, at that time. On the Resurrection Sunday of 1889, he offered the first Holy Eucharist at Brahmavar. For a half a century, till his death he shepherded the Orthodox Konkani community in and around Brahmavar. He also founded St. Mary’s Orthodox Syrian Church, Kandlur (around 1905). Right from the time he settled at Brahmavar, this place turned into a holy and historical pilgrimage centre. Along with this, the people of St. Mary’s Orthodox Syrian Cathedral, Brahmavar became more devotional to their patron ‘Mother of Miracles, St. Mary.’

He was a good educationist, who believed in giving good education to the poor and needy. This led to a great achievement in the history of the Syrian church was the erection of cosmopolitan school in Brahmavar in 1916. The name of the school itself reveals the personality of Fr. Noronha. Cosmopolitan meant to treat everyone equally. As the Syrian Christians got strengthened, Fr. Noronha established St. Antony Church in Kolalgiri in 1923.

Fr. Noronha was a multifunctional and many-faceted personality. He was not only a religious leader, but also was a great educator, a spiritual father, writer, and social reformer. He did a lot of charitable works. He cured a number of people as he was a doctor in indigenous medicine. He founded the Cosmopolitan Higher Primary School (1916) which is the first basic educational institution in Brahmawar. He authored a total of eight books of which the following five are still available. Through his writings, he challenged his opponents, the ‘Colonial Christian Faith’, who had challenged his mighty faith. He built the foremost Brahmavar Church with his own hands. Fr. Noronha was very much loved by the Brahmawar residents.

His saintly life was very evident to all in his faith, prayers and offering of sacraments. Fr. Noronha provided great relief for many people who suffered from different kinds of diseases. He treated many people and provided them with food and shelter. Hundreds of them found relief under his care. It is said he used to cast out demons also. A cross appeared on the back of Fr. Noronha for at least one – two years before his death. Fr. Noronha suffered from diabetes towards the end of his life. On July 23, 1936 Padre R Z Noronha had his last breath, at the age of 86. He was buried at St Mary’s Orthodox Cathedral in Brahmawar.

Large number of people, especially non-Christians, has received blessings from the intercession of Fr. Noronha after his death. Even at present thousands are seeking favours at the tomb of this Saint. For the Brahmavarians, Fr. Noronha is a saint, who intercedes to God for the well-being of their entire community. The belief in Fr. Noronha still didn’t die out in the hearts of today’s people because he is a person who is ‘Saint in the Making’. Even after 80 years of his death, his memory has taken deep roots in the hearts of the masses especially the elderly people of Brahmavar and Brahmavarians. There are lots of reasons behind this. The first and foremost is that Fr. Noronha used to give medications. His medication was free of cost and never depended on one’s caste. He always lent a helping hand to the people. Though he never did any doctoring, he utilized his teachings from Goa to aid the poor and needy, which led to miracles. This made him popular and far famed. His spirituality was beyond comparison. He has already occupied a ‘Saint’s’ place in the minds of the people, all because of his prayers and medications.

Catholicos HH Paulose II, who is on his maiden apostolic tour of St Mary’s Orthodox Syrian Cathedral, Brahmavar and its chapels, on Sunday December 6 2015, declared bishop Alvares Mar Julius and Fr R Z Noronha as ‘Regional Saints’ (Blessed) during the Sunday Holy Eucharist offered at St Mary’s Orthodox Syrian Cathedral, Brahmavar.
Let the intercession of Fr. Noronha pour out showers of blessings, good health, peace of mind, prosperity and progress to the people, one who takes shelter under his wings.
“Every calling is great, when greatly pursued it”, says Oliver Mendel.