Panjim, India, Apr 21, 2016 / 23:08 pm
In a small town in India's Goa state, the Feast of Our Lady of Miracles draws devotees from multiple religions – and coconut oil plays a role in their observances.
"It's a unique Marian devotion, where Catholics and devotees of other faiths, with their deep conviction of the presence of God, show their love and venerate our Blessed Mother," Father Mario Saturnino Dias told CNA April 20.
Fr. Dias directs the center for missions for the Archdiocese of Goa and Daman.
He said the annual Feast of Our Lady of Miracles "draws people to a change of heart," encouraging them to be "authentic witnesses of the new evangelization in sharing our faith and strengthening interreligious harmony."