Commemorative Stamp on St Fidelis Friary, Farangipet by Indian Postal Dept
Mangaluru: St Fidelis Friary, Monte Mariano, Farangipet, has been recognized by the postal department and commemorated with a postcard with Monte Mariano Church. The sources including the other religious neighbours say that the Monti fest took birth in Farangipet which Fr Joachim Miranda initiated.
It is one of the three designated major feasts of the Mangalore diocese. Until a few decades ago, Monti Fest was celebrated on a grand scale at Monte Mariano, with surrounding parishes being a part of the celebrations. A large number of devotees from Mangaluru, including tile manufacturers and coffee planters, footed it out to Farangipet for the feast.
Fr Joachim Miranda built the St Joseph’s Seminary at Farangipet which was later shifted to St Antony’s Ashram Jeppu and then the present place where the seminary exits. This Monte Mariano is also known as the second cradle of capuchins in India since it housed the only novitiate in the whole of India till 1967.