Novena begins in preparation for the feast of Relic of Saint Anthony
Mangaluru: The feast in honour of Relic of Saint Anthony will be celebrated on the e15th of February. In preparation for the feast, the nine days Novena begins on the 6th of February. The inauguration will be done by hoisting Saint Anthony’s Shrine flag at Our Lady of Miracles Church Milagres. Rev Dr Ronald Serrao, the Rector St Joseph Seminary will hoist the flag and celebrate the inaugural Mass at Milagres Church. Before hoisting the flag a vehicle rally will be held wherein decorated Saint Anthony’s Statue will be taken in a procession from Saint Ashram Jeppu to Milagres Church via Kankanady circle, Falnir road.
The themes of nine days of Novena are designed on ‘Life a gift of God to be nurtured and protected’. Renowned priests are invited to celebrate Holy Mass and preach a homily on the theme. Special prayers will be offered for various groups of people on the novena days. The choir groups from nine different parishes will lead the singing on nine days of Novena.
The main festive Holy Mass will be celebrated by Most Rev Dr Aloysius Paul D’Souza the Bishop Emeritus of Mangalore Diocese on 15th February at 6 pm at Milagres Church ground. A Holy Mass in Malayalam will be celebrated by Rev Fr Alexander Kalarikkal, professor at St Joseph Inter-Diocesan Seminary Jeppu at 4:30 pm at Milagres Church. For the sake of sick and elderly a Holy Mass will be offered by Rev Fr Boniface Pinto, Professor St Joseph Seminary Jeppu at 8:15 am at Milagres Church. Rev. Fr Walter Mendonca, Parish Priest of St Anthony Church Sastan, Udupi will offer Holy Mass at 11 am at Jeppu Ashram for the special invitees.
The tongue of Saint Anthony who lived in the thirteenth century is still fresh and kept at Padua in Italy where he did most of his pastoral ministry. Saint Anthony is revered all over the world is invoked specially to find the lost articles.
On the eve of feast i.e. on 14th after the Holy Mass a short drama titled ‘Bair podellobhavarthpatiditha’(lost faith returned) will be played at Milagres Church grounds. This short drama of fifteen minutes is written and directed by Mr Vincent Fernandes of ‘MogachiLahra’ fame.
Fr Onil D’Souza the director of the Institutes informed the details in the press release.