Renovated St. Anne’s Chapel at Thottam to be Inaugurated on February 11

Renovated St. Anne’s Chapel at Thottam to be Inaugurated on February 11

Udupi: The inauguration and blessing of the newly renovated St. Anne’s Chapel at Thottam, near Malpe, will be held on Wednesday, February 11, at 4.30 p.m.

The renovated chapel will be inaugurated and blessed by the Most Rev. Dr. Gerald Isaac Lobo, Bishop of the Diocese of Udupi, who will also celebrate the Holy Eucharist. Following the Mass, Rosary prayers will be held, after which a candlelight procession will proceed from the chapel to the main church. A brief felicitation programme will then be organised to honour those who have generously contributed to the renovation of the chapel.

 Several decades ago, the Catholic faithful of this area depended on Milagres Church, Kallianpur, for their spiritual needs. With a deep desire to have a place of worship closer to home, the late Miguel Vaz, a prominent resident of Thottam village, obtained permission from the Bishop of the Goa Diocese to construct a chapel. Construction began in 1885, and the chapel was inaugurated on May 24, 1905.

After the construction of an independent church dedicated to St. Anne at Thottam on May 19, 1933, the chapel came under the administration of the church, and it was decided to offer Holy Mass there once a week.

Over the years, as the population increased, the chapel became inadequate, accommodating only about 50 people, with many devotees having to stand outside. Owing to the limited space for religious and devotional activities, the Vaz family, in 2010, decided to hand over the chapel entirely to the church administration. Under the guidance of the then parish priest, Rev. Fr. Frederick D’Souza, the necessary documents were prepared and submitted to the Bishop of the Diocese of Mangaluru, Most Rev. Dr. Aloysius D’Souza. Subsequently, renovation work was undertaken, and the Bishop celebrated Holy Mass there on the feast of St. Anne on July 26.

As the number of devotees continued to grow, the need for improved facilities became evident. Under the leadership of the present parish priest, Rev. Fr. Denis D’Sa, and with the cooperation of parishioners, a decision was taken to undertake a complete renovation of the chapel. The Vaz family wholeheartedly supported this initiative.

Construction work commenced with the blessing of the new structure on May 28, 2024. The renovated chapel now has seating capacity for about 250 devotees inside, with additional arrangements for nearly 200 people outside. The original altar has been preserved and artistically enhanced. Financial assistance from the Karnataka Government’s Christian Development Corporation was also availed for the renovation.

St. Anne enjoys special devotion among the faithful, particularly among women. Many devotees testify to blessings received through her intercession. It is a long-standing practice among local residents to seek her blessings before beginning work or undertaking journeys, said Rev. Fr. Denis D’Sa in the press release.