Special report
Lisbon’s patriarchy has an agreement with Indian dioceses to form seminarians. After being ordered priests, they assume their own parishes and have been returned to India for five years to work in the Portuguese archives, an inheritance that comes from the time of the discoveries.
The ping-pong room is one of the favorite places for the conviviality among Indian seminarians who are currently living in the olive seminar. They come from dioceses from southern India, in the state of Kerala. Six arrives from Trivandrum, two from Cochim. A huge trip to Lisbon.
Anderson and Ribin met in Portugal, so far from the country where they grew up and with such a different language from Malayalam. even though not all words sound strange to them.
“In India, my land we use” table “, in Malaylam, my mother tongue is” table “, is the same (…) and” chapel “is the same (…) and” towel “is also the same (…) besides knowing nothing,” says Ribin.
Nine Indian priests are at the service of the parishes of Patriarchate of Lisbon. It is the third most represented nationality. Only Angola (10) and, of course, Portugal (237) have more priests.
Future priests are formed between the olive seminar and the Portuguese Catholic University. In compensation, after being ordered, they collaborate with the Patriarchate of Lisbon – where it is necessary, in a period that is around five years old.
“In the name of the Father, Son and India” is the To see here in full.
