Pics: Dayanand Kukkaje
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (SB)
Mangaluru, Jan 14: The annual feast of Infant Jesus Shrine, Carmel Hill, Bikarnakatta here was held with great pomp and religious fervour on Sunday January 14. Thousands of devotees took part in the celebrations.
Dr Jerald J Mathias, Bishop of Lucknow diocese was the main celebrant. Fr Charles Serrao and Fr Pius James D Souza and more than hundred priests participated in the Holy Eucharist as concelebrants.
In his homily Fr Sunil Pinto, parish priest of Kinnigoli Church urged to experience the miracles of infant Jesus by doing good deeds for the fellow human beings and society. He also said sinless life is the requirement of the day when the world around is enveloped with bad influences prompted by technological advancements.
Fr Wilfred Rodrigues, head of the shrine thanked the bishop, priests and devotees for their presence in mass.
The theme of the day was ‘Benefactors’
More than 15000 devotees attended the festival Mass.
The feast continues on Monday, January 15 with hourly Mass from morning to evening. Dr Aloysius Paul D’Souza, bishop of Mangaluru diocese, will be main celebrant during the main Mass in the evening. The theme of the day is ‘Devotees’.
The 9-day novena began on January 5 with a special theme everyday which included Youth, Children, Teachers, Those Abroad, Couple, Workers, Sick, Religious , Benefactors and Devotees.