Media Release

Mangaluru, Dec 5: The Pompei Shrine feast at Urwa Church will be held on December 8.

The Festal Mass will be celebrated at 5.30 p.m. that day. Bishop of Mangaluru Dr Peter Paul Saldanha will preside over the Mass and celebrations. There will be religious procession after the Mass through the streets of Urwa.

The other programmes on that day are Mass at 7.00 am, 8.15 am and 10.15 am for the sick.

The theme for the feast is ‘ Mother of Pompei inspires us to be friend of Jesus’.

Fr Stany Pereira, parish priest, Urwa church, Fr Jaison Lobo, assistant parish priest, Urwa church, Francis Saldanha, vice president, Parish Pastoral Council, Lucy D'Souza, secretary, Parish Pastoral Council, and Elias Fernandes, Fourwinds Communications, were present. 

About Pompei shrine

Mary (Maria), the mother of Jesus is affectionately called by different names. Our Lady of Pompei is another of her name.

Pompei is a valley in Italy. When the people of the city were not living a life of character Mary appeared to Bartholo Longo, an advocate, and asked him to pray for the people of the city of Pompei. The people of Pompei changed their bad behaviour very soon. The news of this change of hearts and minds of people of Pompei spread to all over the country. Since Mother Mary appeared in Pompei she is honoured as Mother of Pompei/Our Lady of Pompei.

Shrine in Urwa Church

The shrine was started in Urwa in 1895. Since then the shrine has become a place of prayer and solace to hundreds of people who visit this shrine regularly.