What is Sipari Mai?

What is Sipari Mai?

Siparee or Supari Mai (mother of Siparia). The Patron Saint of Siparia. The Miracle Mother. Many miracles have been attributed to her by ardent devotees.

Who is supari Mai?

The name ‘Supari Mai’ means ‘Mother of Siparia’ in Hindi. Parbatie Chandrakal, of Barrackpore, said she has been making the journey to Siparia for the past 24 years to offer olive oil, candles and flowers.

What day is the Siparee Mai feast celebrated?

Late in the evening on Holy Thursday, just before the Christian feast of Easter, two middle-aged women make their way into the parish hall of the Roman Catholic Church in Siparia, in southern Trinidad.

What is siparia famous for?

Siparia is the site of the annual festival of La Divina Pastora (Mary, as the mother of the Good Shepherd), named for the church’s patron saint. The festival occurs each year on the saint’s day of La Divina Pastora, a few weeks after Easter.

Which religions are associated with the Siparee Mai pilgrimage?

Hundreds of Hindus, Buddhists, Muslims, Catholics, and various other Christian groups from around the region have been making pilgrimages down to this rather remote and generally quiet community every year for centuries to pay homage to the statue – a Black Virgin celebrated by Christians as a manifestation of the …

What is the Divina Pastora?

Divina Pastora (English title: Divine Shepherdess) is a statue of the Madonna and Child, the Virgin Mary holding the infant Jesus, with a lamb at her side. It is considered to be one of the most important religious icons of Venezuela.

Who is the person in charge of organizing the Santa Rosa Festival?

The SRCC is headed by its President Ricardo Bharath Hernandez and maintains a leadership role among indigenous organisations in Trinidad.

What is the Santa Rosa Festival?

The Santa Rosa Carib Festival takes place in August – in the week leading up to Independence Day (August 31) and is intended to pay tribute to the First Peoples of the New World, and to expose their culture to the nation.

What is the statue housed in the Roman Catholic in Siparia Trinidad?

Siparia was originally the site of a Spanish Mission and a Capuchin pilgrimage church which houses La Divina Pastora, a statue of the Virgin Mary. The statue is venerated by the Roman Catholics as well as Hindus who see her as Mother Lakshmi or the Goddess Kali.

Why is La Divina Pastora important?

Divina Pastora (English title: Divine Shepherdess) is a statue of the Madonna and Child, the Virgin Mary holding the infant Jesus, with a lamb at her side. It is considered to be one of the most important religious icons of Venezuela. In 2016, 4,000,000 faithful honored the Divina Pastora.

How is La Divina Pastora celebrated in Trinidad?

Scores of barbers would give Hindu infants their first haircuts. On the third Sunday after Easter Monday, Catholics celebrate the feast day of La Divina Pastora, with a Mass followed by a massive street procession following the statue.

What festival is celebrated in Arima?