Thousands of Devotees Attend Second Day St Lawrence Basilica Annual Feast
Karkala: Devotees have been visiting St. Lawrence Basilica, Attur throughout the year to be cured of physical and mental illness. The second day of the annual feast of the Basilica on Monday has been reserved for special Masses and prayers for the benefit of the sick. On Monday, 27 January thousands of sick devotees converged at St. Lawrence Basilica to get relief from physical pain and mental illness through the intercession of St. Lawrence. Special arrangements were made for vehicles carrying the sick devotees till the premises of the Basilica. For those who could not alight from the vehicles were administered Eucharist in the vehicles and offered special prayers for their recovery.
The special Mass on Monday was concelebrated by Dr Antony Swami Bishop of Chikkamagaluru Diocese. In his homily, the Bishop said, “Faith without good deeds is lifeless. Our faith should be strengthened through good works. Our faith becomes fruitful when we serve the people with our good work”.
Fr Andrew D’Souza, Parish Priest of St. Lawrence Church, Bondel, Mangaluru and Fr Reginald Pinto, Director of ‘Sampada’ Udupi offered special Mass for the sick and afflicted. At the end of the Mass special prayers were offered for the sick and the priests prayed on the sick by placing their palms on each and every sick person.
Besides the special Mass for the sick in Kannada language, priests who offered Masses in Konkani included Fr Ivan Gomes (SVD) from Mulki, Fr Bonaventure Nazareth from Belthangady and Fr Louis D’Sa from Mukkamar. Fr Anil Paes from Chikkamagaluru offered another Mass in Kannada.
Former Chief Minister of Karnataka Veerappa Moily visited the Basilica and Uday Kumar Shetty Muniyal were the other VIPs who visited St Lawrence Basilica on Monday.
Except for a minor incident on Sunday night during which a generator caught fire due to short circuit, all other activities at the Basilica went on smoothly.
On Tuesday, 28 January, the third day of the annual feast of St Lawrence Basilica there will be 11 Holy masses. At 10:30 am the Bishop of Belthangady, Dr Jeevarghese Mar Makarios Kalayil will offer the Holy mass. In the evening Dr Francis Serrao, Bishop of Shivamogga will offer the Holy Mass in Kannada. Besides these there will be Holy masses in Konkani at 7:30 am, 9 am, 12 noon, 3:00 pm, 4:30 pm, 8:00 pm and 11:00 pm. Masses in the Kannada language will be at 1:30 and 9:30 pm.
