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The legacy of Menino Jesus:
Apart from the beach itself, the other main attraction for the locals is the "Menino (infant) Jesus" statue at the local church of Igreja de Nossa Senhora de Piedade ( Our Lady of Mercy) founded in 1630. The church lies in the village square.
The statue was discovered by Rev. Father Bento Ferreira in 1640 while shipwrecked after being attacked by muslim pirates off the coast of Mozambique. The statue was washed ashore and lay intact on the rocks. Father Ferreira kept it with him and brought the statue to Colva in 1648 when he was posted as the first vicar to the church at Colva. The statue was placed in an altar in the church and soon gained the reputation for granting favors among the local populace.
Following the banning of the Jesuits by the Portuguese, the Jesuits took the statue with them to Rachol and refused to return it. This enraged the locals and ensued in a long, arduous and unsuccessful struggle for the return of the statue to Colva . Even after obtaining an order for its return from the King of Portugal, they were unsuccessful. Frustrated, they finally commissioned a new statue and adorned it with the original ring that had fallen off the previous statue prior to its transfer to Rachol. This resulted in the return of the miraculous powers to the new statue. In the light of the debacle with the previous statue, the statue now remains locked up except during the Fama festival on the second Monday in October every year. The tradition attracts thousands and continues to this day and according to the locals, Menino Jesus has never failed to deliver.
The statue was discovered by Rev. Father Bento Ferreira in 1640 while shipwrecked after being attacked by muslim pirates off the coast of Mozambique. The statue was washed ashore and lay intact on the rocks. Father Ferreira kept it with him and brought the statue to Colva in 1648 when he was posted as the first vicar to the church at Colva. The statue was placed in an altar in the church and soon gained the reputation for granting favors among the local populace.
Following the banning of the Jesuits by the Portuguese, the Jesuits took the statue with them to Rachol and refused to return it. This enraged the locals and ensued in a long, arduous and unsuccessful struggle for the return of the statue to Colva . Even after obtaining an order for its return from the King of Portugal, they were unsuccessful. Frustrated, they finally commissioned a new statue and adorned it with the original ring that had fallen off the previous statue prior to its transfer to Rachol. This resulted in the return of the miraculous powers to the new statue. In the light of the debacle with the previous statue, the statue now remains locked up except during the Fama festival on the second Monday in October every year. The tradition attracts thousands and continues to this day and according to the locals, Menino Jesus has never failed to deliver.
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