Venita Gomes
Bebinca, the 'Queen of Goan desserts', was gifted to US President Joe Biden at the recently concluded G20 summit in New Delhi.
A few days before the summit, the secretary for the Liturgy Commission of the Delhi Archdiocese, Fr Nicholas Dias (who hails from Benaulim, Goa), received an e-mail from the White House.
The e-mail from the White House requested him to conduct a Holy Communion service for the president before his G20 Summit engagements in New Delhi.
Fr Dias conducted a 30-minute service, which was attended by a few members of the US delegation as well as President Biden, who was brought up as a Catholic.
The service took place at the luxurious ITC Maurya in New Delhi.
Fr Dias took the opportunity to present Goa's most famous dessert, Bebinca -- introduced by the Portuguese into Goa, and also known as 'Queen of Goan desserts' -- as a fitting gift for the president.
As a token of appreciation, President Biden presented the President's Seal No 261 to Fr Dias.