Statue moved to aid fishermen in Praya Lane

 More than 1,000 people crowded the shore to watch the return of the statue of Our Lady of the Rosary from Pulau Jawa to the church. On reaching the shore the statue was borne by members of the Confracternity of the Holy Rosary in ceremonial dress.

STATUE MOVED TO AID FISHERMEN

To the hundreds of Roman Catholic fishermen in Malacca, it is a prayer answered.

The fishermen, most of whom are descendants of the early Portuguese settlers, can now pray in their boats before setting out to sea with the enshrinement of the statue of Our Lady of the Rosary outside the Church of the Assumption at Banda Hilir.

Previously, the statue was enshrined inside the church. At the celebration of the Feast of the Assumption, the statue was taken out and re-enshrined facing the Straits of Malacca in a specially constructed annexe at the rear of the building.

Ceremony

The enshrinement ceremony for which the Vicar-General of the Portu guese Mission, the Rev. Fr. M. Teixera specially came, was attended by more than 1,000 Catholics, many of whom were from outstation.

Also present was Mrs. Leong Yew Koh, wife of the Governor of Malacca.

Early in the day, the statue was slipped out to an island, Pulau Java, one mile from the shore. In the evening at 5p.m. the statue began its ceremonial journey to the Church carried in a 10-foot boat, gally decorated with bunting.

They can now pray in boats before setting out to sea.

The sea-blue silk backdrop of the statue, studded with stars and fishes, added to the splendour of the occasion. Escorting the statue were Catholic fishermen and members of their families who were in more than 30 fishing boats. The sea procession was led by the Rev. Fr. M.J. Pintado who in fact organised the occasion.

The procession is said to follow a celebration held annually by fishermen in Portugal. For one day each year these fishermen who travel as far as Greenland for cod, salmon and other fish congragate for a procession with musical accompaniment.

Celebration

The celebration of the Feast of the Assumption also marked the elevation of the chapel to a church following extensive renovations and extensions to the building.

With the addition of two wings, the building can now accommodate over 550 people. Part of the $30,000 spent on the renovations was borne by the Portuguese mission. The rest was raised locally.

Many stories have been told in which the vision of the Blessed Virgin Mary with the child Jesus in her arms was claimed to have been seen by fishermen and those living in the vicinity of the church.

In one, it was said that a Mr. Gan, who has since died, while our at sea one day saw the Blessed Virgin Mary riding in his boat.

Good catch

On that day Mr. Gan, who was not a member of the church, had an exceptionally good catch. Recently Mr. Gan's son and members of his family were baptised and converted. The Rev. Fr. J.O. de Souza received them into the church.

Another story relating to the Blessed Virgin Mary was that fishermen had often seen a lady playing with a child on the shore near the church. The child was also seen catching 'jumping jacks', or ikan belodoh. When these fishermen went to the church to pray on the following morning, they saw the feet of the statue of Our Lady of the Rosary and that of the Child bespattered with mud.

Source: Extract fom Malacca Newsletter by Church Street most probably in 1958.