Media Release
Bengaluru, Aug 27: This year, all the grandeur and fervour of the festival in honour of St Mary has been snatched away by the cruel intervention of the dreaded coronavirus, said Archbishop Machado of Bengaluru. The dangerous and adverse effects of Covid-19 have muted and pervaded all spheres of life and have not spared the annual celebrations either, he added.
Archbishop Peter Machado who was addressing the media at a press meet held at Palana Bhavana (Pastoral Centre) in Bengaluru on August 27 said, "Undeterred by this dangerous pandemic situation, we have made alternative arrangements to celebrate this festival spiritually and meaningfully through digital and other social media networks."
Giving details of the feast, he said the Novena and the annual Feast of St Mary’s Shrine Basilica, Shivajinagar, Bengaluru, normally attracts thousands of people during the nine days of Novena and lacs of people on the feast day. Year after year, even throughout the year, the devotees go there in large numbers in faith and devotion to pay homage to Mary, Mother of Jesus Christ and the loving Mother of people as well.
The sea of humanity is a sight to behold as over a lac of people normally converge on September 8 on the feast day and thousands of people that go to participate in the Novena commencing on August 29 with a flag hoisting. People from all faiths joyfully and wholeheartedly participate with utmost devotion and piety in religious services. The young and the old alike participate in large numbers and with great hope of seeking Mother Mary’s intervention and blessings.
“We have been advised by the government and police authorities to have a low-key celebration and to avoid crowding of devotees at the Shrine and its vicinity. In deference to their directives and as a responsible community, we have decided to live stream all the spiritual programmes through various digital platforms on all the nine days of the Novena, from August 29 and on the Feast Day, September 8.”
Archbishop has appealed to the faithful to confine to their homes as one family and spend time in prayer, recitation of the Holy Rosary and participate in the Holy Masses and the Adoration. It is a great opportunity for all to seek Mother Mary’s interventions to help wipe out the pandemic from the face of the earth.
"On the Novena Days and the Feast Day, we will be praying very specially for all the devotees and the people in Bangalore and in Karnataka."
The daily programmes would include: Mass with timings: 6.00 am (English Mass), 7.00 am (Kannada), 8.00 am (Tamil), 9.00 am (Konkani) 10.00 am (Malayalam) 11.00 am and Mass for the Sick.
The evening programme includes 5.00 pm Rosary, Litany, Marian reflection in different languages and conclude with Benediction.
Channels of Telecast:
Websites: www.stmarysbangalore.com, www.bangalorearchdiocese.org:
YouTube: Bangalore Archdiocese, and App: Archdiocese of Bangalore.
For more information, please contact: Director, Fr Cyril Victor Joseph
Mobile: 9886424928, e-mail: frcyrilvictor@gmail.com, Bangalore Archdiocese Communications Centre
The Archbishop also presented a brief history of the Church. The formation of the city of Bengaluru and the beginning of St Mary’s Church are found to be interlinked in the history of Karnataka. During the 17th Century, a few Christians, hailing from Ginjee in the state of Tamil Nadu, settled down in the fertile land and gave the name ‘Bili Akki Palli’ because the rice they cultivated in that kind white and white birds flocked to the paddy fields. Being Christians, they built a small thatched-roofed church and named it Kanikkai Madha Chapel.
The Italian Jesuits of the Malabar Mission were the founders of the Mysore Mission in the 17th Century. They were succeeded by the French Jesuits from Madura and Carnatic Missions in the 18th Century.
In 1799, at the siege of Srirangapatnam, Fr Jean Dubois, a Catholic priest, came with the English troops and only when he said the Mass in the Church, people did recognize him as a Catholic priest. When the Cantonment was established in Bengaluru, the Christians, both Europeans and Indians were attending the Mass said by Fr Jean Dubois. In 1811, he built a small chapel with a residence for priests.
Later on, Fr Andreas an Indian priest from Pondicherry succeeded him and he enlarged the Church building in the shape of Cross, with a hall facing East and West and with two aisles North and South.
In 1832, due to some communal riots, the church was pulled and pillaged. Fr Beauchaton, the parish priest, narrowly escaped death by the tactful handling of the situation by the Christian people. Troops arrived to restore peace and the government had the Church guarded first by the European soldiers and later by Indian sepoys for many months. After some years great plague had spread throughout the Blackpalli and people sought the intercession of Mother Mary to relieve them from the clutches of disastrous death. Mother Mary interceded the victims’ prayers and the plague vanished from the vicinity. Since she cured the people of the dreadful disease and gave them good health, she was also called as ‘Annai Arokiamarie’ (Our Lady of Good Health).
In June 1875, the construction of present Church began during the time of the parish priest, Fr E L Kleiner, who later became the Bishop of Mysore. In view of the historic importance of St Mary’s Church, the then British authorities from Delhi were paying a grant every year already from the 19th century for the maintenance of the Church till 1948.
The present Church of St Mary’s built by Fr Kleiner was solemnly consecrated on September 8, 1882, by Msgr Joannes Maria Y Coadou, vicar apostolic of Mysore, in the presence of 35 priests and about 4000 Catholics of Bengaluru. It is interesting to note that, all the other parishes of Bengaluru were born out of this ancient parish of St Mary’s Church.
It was during the tenure of Dr P Arokiaswamy, the then Archbishop of Bangalore and Fr Paul Kinatukara, then parish priest of St Mary’s Church, with the strenuous efforts of the Archbishop Dr D S Lourdusamy, the then secretary-general for the Sacred Congregations for Evangelization of Peoples in Rome, Holy Father Pope Paul VI, elevated St Mary’s Church to the title of 'Annai Arokia Mary Basilica' on September 26, 1973, which was officially announced and celebrated on January 26, 1974. Since then, every year this day stands as a remarkable sign of God’s grace. For several years a grand car procession carrying the Eucharist was held and the Archbishop administered solemn blessing of the Blessed Sacrament.
Due to the increase in the population, and more devotees flocking to visit the Shrine of Our Lady, the space that was available for the devotees to stand and pray was found to be very congested. At this juncture, the then parish priest, Fr T Jabamalai, (who passed away on August 26, 2020) successor of Fr Paul Kinatukara constructed a hall like structure facing east and placed the statue of Our Lady in a prominent place This enabled thousands of devotees to see her without any hindrance and pray to her more devotedly. The statue of Infant Jesus was placed where Our Lady’s statue remained originally. During the year 2004, a new exquisite altar with tabernacle was erected by Msgr T Jabamalai, parish priest, who was also then vicar general of Bangalore Archdiocese. During the year 2005 – 2007, the church was completely renovated by him and was rededicated on August 29, 2006, by the present Archbishop of Bangalore, and (1882 - 2007) it celebrated 125th year of its consecration. During the month of June 2007, the Church and Shrine were bifurcated and the then archbishop of Bangalore appointed Fr A S Anthony Swamy as the parish priest and Fr L Arulappa was the rector of the Shrine. On September 8, 2007, Annual Feast day and Birthday of Blessed Virgin Mary, the archbishop officially declared and honoured this Basilica as the diocesan Shrine. Fr John Rose was the rector cum parish priest of the Shrine Basilica from June 22, 2013, till June 15, 2019, and now Fr Martin Kumar is the rector cum parish priest of the Basilica.
Description of the Church
St Mary’s Basilica is a spacious gothic Church, designed by a French architect and built in the form of a Cross. It is 172 feet long and 50 feet broad. The imposing and magnificent tower forming the façade of the Church is 160 feet high. A beautiful statue of Mother Mary holding Child Jesus in her arms, six feet in height, set up in an attractive shrine just outside the Church building, is the chief object of veneration and source of inspiration for the people. Every day the statue is draped in ‘Saree’ the typical dress of the Indian lady. It is said that in 1875 when the new Church was built, people tried to remove this statue in order to install it on a prominent altar inside the Church. But they failed in their effort since the statue remained immovable. This strange happening is considered even today as a sign of Our Lady’s miraculous power.
Miraculous statue of our Lady
At the main entrance of the Shrine, one will find another Statue of Our Lady, a smaller one, which has a story behind it. It is believed to have happened in the year 1832, that the Church was attacked by some miscreants and everything was destroyed except this small statue. It is also said that when they attempted to pull it down, they were struck blind. Soon police and military contingents arrived on the scene and restored just when the mob had set fire to the Church. The statue thus miraculously saved, is the one that is placed in an imposing, flower-decked, illuminated palanquin taken in procession during the important days of Marian devotion. It is true that for several years even Muslims were in the habit of taking out in solemn procession, the same statue of Our Lady.
The Annual Feast
The main feast is celebrated with all grandeur on September 8, the Feast day of the Nativity of Blessed Virgin Mary, every year. This feast is considered by the people not only as the feast of the parish but also for the whole of the Archdiocese and the state of Karnataka.
In preparation to the feast, a (nine days) Novena is observed, wherein Holy Masses are celebrated throughout the day, in which thousands of people participate with ardent devotion. Through the Feast, the devotees are found to be dressed in ‘Saffron’ clothing. Archbishop blesses the flag and joins the chief guests in hoisting the flag. This hoisting of the flag symbolizes that our hearts too are to be raised towards the Almighty God with the perpetual help of Our Lady. Indeed it is spectacular to view when thousands of people gather around the flag post, join in singing the praise of Mary Our Mother – ‘Ave Maria’ (Praise to Mary) fills the air when the flag is hoisted.
According to the tradition, the flag is hoisted every day beginning from the Flag Hoisting day till the ninth day of Novena.
On the Feast day, September 8, people gather in lakhs, without any distinction of caste, creed or religion, not only from all parts of Bengaluru but also from all over India to pay their homage to Our Lady. The whole city embraces the festive mood on that day. Throughout the day, people flock in with lighted candles and flowers to pray and thank Mother Mary. In the evening, around 5.00 pm a grand car procession – a chariot carrying the six feet statue of Mother Mary, draped in a colourful silk saree, with spectacular illuminations and decorations, is carried on the streets of Shivaji Nagar.
Mary, Mother of God is the mother of all generations and she embraces everyone, without any discrimination of caste, creed, religion and language. While we approach her, all that we need to possess is true faith and selfless love in her and her son Jesus. She is not the end of our lives, rather she is the one who will lead us safely, just like a mother who would lead her child by holding its little hands, to the eternal kingdom of God. Glory to God and Praises to Mother Mary.
For details: St Mary’s Basilica, Msgr F Noronha Road, Shivaji Nagar, Bengaluru–560051.
Phone: 080 22865434
Email: shrinebasilicabangalore@gmail.com