Fr Anil Fernandes

Mangaluru, Aug 16: The miraculous statue of Mother Mary, which is 450 years old, will be taken to every household in the Rosario Cathedral parish in city. It will stay a day each in 450 houses of the parish and return to the Cathedral in 2019.

The statue was blessed at the Cathedral and started it journey on August 15.

“This is a land mark of this great historic event. The call now, is for deep catholic spiritual renewal in holiness of each and every family and person in the parish,” said Fr J B Crasta, the rector of the Rosario Cathedral.

The statuette was blessed by vicar general Msgr Denis Moras Prabhu. He also launched its pilgrimage on the feast of Assumption.

Fr Anil Fernandes, Fr Rocky Fernandes and Fr Vincent D'Souza were present as also the vice -president of the parish pastoral parishad C J Simon and a large congregation.

The historicity of the Portuguese confirms their arrival on the shores of Mangaluru in January 1568. On the river banks here they established their fort named St Sebastian’ and a church was also built. An image of 'Mother of the Rosary' was installed at the church and later it gained a high reputation as a 'miraculous statue'. The church and statue are both 450 years old now.

The church was later raised to the the status of 'Rosario Cathedral' in 1850, and was the mother church of the region. Built into this religious and spiritual theology is a deeply prayerful tradition of the 'Rosary', which at this point s set to engulf and manifest among the more than 450 families of the pioneer parish.

This miraculous statuette set out on pilgrimage to each and every family home of all 14 wards of the parish on August 15 this year. It will return to its seat in the Cathedral in February 2019.