In South-Western Indian state of Goa, Archbishop releases first Konkani Bible in Roman script

(06 June 06) : Archbishop-Patriarch Felipe Neri Ferrao released the first 2,300 page Konkani Bible in Roman script during a solemn mass in Se Cathedral, Old Goa on Sunday June 4th. 60,000 copies of this sacred book will now be available to the Konkani-speaking community of Goa state and elsewhere in India. Fr Manuel Gomes, Secretary of Diocesan Commission for Biblical Apostolate (DCBA) said, the process for the compilation of the entire Bible in Konkani was set in motion in 1990, when Archbishop-Emeritus Raul Gonsalves entrusted the task to the liturgical committee. The translation of different books of the Bible was undertaken by a team of 15 experts, comprising priests and laity, which were then edited by Fr Gomes and assisted by Fr Ave Maria Afonso. "Process is also under way to bring out the Bible in the Devnagari script of Konkani. Konkani Bible in Kannada script published six years ago by the diocese of Mangalore in southern Indian state of Karnataka is already available, Fr Gomes added.