Daijiworld Media Network - Karkala
Karkala, Jan 21: The annual feat of Saint Lawrence Basilica Shrine, Attur, began with a bang on Sunday, January 21. The festival will be held for six days from January 21 to 26. The theme of this year's festival is “Ask and it shall be given to you”.
On January 21 morning, the sacred relic of Saint Lawrence and the miracle idol of the shrine were taken in a procession and enshrined in the pavilion for public viewing. Later, political activist Udaya Kumar Shetty Munialu started the celebrations by hoisting the flag.
The main ceremonial mass of the day was conducted by the retired Bishop of Mangalore Dr Aloysius Paul D'Souza by preaching. He gave a special encouragement on the occasion of God's Word Sunday and said, "When you listen to God's word, meditate on it, and follow it in life. It is possible to give the fruit of virtues. Through this, we all become children of God's love."
Other offerings of the day were by by Fr Vincent Sequeira of Battodi, Fr Naveen Pinto of Mangaluru, Monsignor Fr Ferdinand Gonsalves of Udupi Diocese, Fr Rajesh Rosario of Mangaluru, Fr Dr Roque D' Souza of Santhekatte, Fr Boniface Pinto of Moodubelle and Fr Chetan Lobo of Bejai, Mangaluru.
The final mass of the day was performed at 8 pm to conclude the religious programmess of the first day of the festival.