Pics: Stanly Bantwal
Media Release
Davanagere, Sep 9: Annual feast of Harihar Matha, Minor Basilica, which is known as the ‘Feast of the Nativity of Blessed Virgin Mary’, was celebrated at the Minor Basilica of Our Lady of Health, Harihar, in a grand manner on September 8. An ocean of people from all corners of Karnataka, as well as outside Karnataka, witnessed the feast of Harihar Matha Basilica. Every street of Harihar town was filled with people.
The theme for the feast of our lady of health this year 2025 was, ‘Mother Mary - Our Mother of Hope’. The festal celebration commenced with the flag hoisting on August 30 by Dr Duming Dias, bishop of diocese of Karwar with a large number of devotees.
The novenas were held from August 30 to September 7 along with the recitation of the Rosary in procession, Novena prayers, floral homage and celebration of Holy Eucharist with preaching on a given theme by the main celebrant & the healing adoration with benediction.
The annual feast of Harihar Matha Basilica was celebrated with great fervour from August 30 to September 8.
The celebration began on August 30, 2025, with the hoisting of the flag by Dr. Duming Dias, bishop of the diocese of Karwar, who emphasized that ‘Hope never disappoints us’.
On August 31, Fr Paul D'Souza, parish priest of Balehonnur, diocese of Chikmagalur, offered the Holy Eucharist with a homily on ‘The foundation of hope lies in prayer’. The following day, September 1, Msgr Fr. Elias Sequeira, vicar general of the diocese of Chikmagalur, celebrated the Holy Eucharist and highlighted that ‘The comfort of Jesus Christ is the key to hope’.
On September 2, Fr Clarence Dias, parish priest of Holy Family Church, Chitradurga, offered the Holy Eucharist on the theme ‘The lives of saints and devotees are an example of a life of hope’. The next day, September 3, Fr Leo Florence SJ from Mundagod celebrated the Holy Eucharist and preached on ‘The silent meditation of the mother is the model for hope’.
On September 4, Fr Santhosh Dias, director of CBCI Health Commission, St John's Bengaluru, celebrated the Holy Eucharist, focusing his homily on ‘Strong stances are an example of hope’. The following day, September 5, Fr Santosh Pereira, rector of Vianney Minor Seminary, diocese of Shimoga, offered the Holy Eucharist and emphasized that ‘God's Word is the inspiration for hope’.
On September 6, Fr Peter Asheevad, director of Belgaum Diocesan Social Work Service, celebrated the Holy Eucharist with a homily on ‘Sacraments are the foundations of hope’. The next day, September 7, Dr Bernard Moras, Archbishop Emeritus of the archdiocese of Bangalore and apostolic administrator of the diocese of Mysore, was the main celebrant. His message focused on ‘Mother Mary is a beacon of hope’ and ‘Hope is a ray of inspiration for evangelizers’.
The feast day on September 8, culminated with the Holy Eucharist celebrated by Dr Francis Serrao SJ, bishop of the diocese of Shimoga. The central theme of the day was ‘Mother Mary – Our Mother of Hope’.
The feast day began with the celebration of the Holy Eucharist in Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam (Syro-Malabar Rite), Tamil, English, and Konkani. The Mass in Malayalam was celebrated by Dr Joseph Arumachadath, bishop of the diocese of Bhadravati. The English Mass was offered by Dr Duming Dias, bishop of Karwar, while the festal Mass in Kannada was celebrated by Dr Francis Serrao SJ, bishop of the diocese of Shimoga.
In the afternoon, the Holy Eucharist in Konkani was celebrated by Dr Duming Dias. This was followed by a healing adoration led by Fr Franklin D'Souza and Fr Roman Pinto. The evening included another Holy Eucharist in Kannada, a solemn procession, and concluded with a Thanksgiving Holy Eucharist in Kannada.
In the evening, the chariot decorated with chrysanthemum was blessed by Fr George K A, rector and parish priest and was taken in procession in the prominent streets of Harihar town. As the procession moved people belonging to the other religions stood on either side to have a darshan of the mother and receive blessings. The roads were cleaned and decorated with rangoli.
Thousands of devotees received the special graces and blessings showered on them and their families through the devotion of Mother Mary. Lacs of devotees of Mother Mary flocked together with all their petitions and thanksgiving for the favours they received.
Fr George K A, rector of Our Lady of Health Basilica, thanked all those who helped in making this feast a success.
History of Minor Basilica of Harihar
History has it from time immemorial that, according to tradition, a non-Christian devotee, while taking a bath, accidentally fell into the swelling river Tungabhadra, on whose banks Harihar is now situated. Being on the verge of drowning and in great fear of death, he saw the floating statue of Our Lady of Health and caught hold of it, and that eventually saved his life. Thereafter, on reaching home, his wife and children, on touching the statue of Our Lady of Health, were miraculously and providentially healed of their diseases – tuberculosis and paralysis, respectively.
Then onwards he dedicated himself completely to the service of Our Lady and his house to the glory of the Mother. Soon after his death, he was laid to rest in a place where his house existed. Later on, that same house was converted into a church, which is situated on the banks of the River Tungabhadra. This shrine has been frequented by the people of Karnataka, irrespective of caste, language, and religion. No doubt, it can surely be called the ‘Vailankanni of Karnataka’. Then in 1833, Fr Bigot is reported to have built a prayer hall in Harihar.
During the annual feast, the original statue of Mother Mary is installed in a place adjacent to the church. People form a queue spreading around 2 to 3 kilometers, waiting patiently for their turn to have a darshan of Mother Mary, holding coconuts, candles, flowers, and offerings with the intention of placing them at the foot of Mother Mary and receiving blessings.
Harihar is a town situated in the Davangere District of Karnataka. Erstwhile Mysore Kings were followed by the British. Harihar, though belonging to Mysore state, was part of the Chitradurga Division. Later on, in 1875 AD, the British Government brought together a few adjacent villages under Harihar and formed it a taluk center with the establishment of a taluk office.
A new church dedicated to Our Lady of Health was built on August 31, 1992, by Fr Jesu Rakshaka Nadhan and inaugurated by Dr Ignatius Pinto, then bishop of the diocese of Shimoga.
On May 27, 2012, during the time of Fr. Stany D'Souza, with the efforts of then Bishop Dr Gerald Isaac Lobo (presently Bishop of Udupi), the shrine was officially declared a diocesan shrine of the diocese of Shimoga.
During the time of Fr Anthony Peter and with the efforts of the present bishop, Dr Francis Serrao, SJ, the Vatican raised the Shrine of Our Lady of Health, Harihar, to the status of a Minor Basilica on September 18, 2019.
This is the third shrine in Karnataka to have received the status of Minor Basilica after St Mary's Minor Basilica in the archdiocese of Bangalore and St Lawrence Minor Basilica in the diocese of Udupi. The official celebration of this milestone was held on January 15, 2020, with Holy Eucharist celebrated by CCBI president Cardinal Philip Neri, archbishop of the archdiocese of Goa and Daman, together with the bishops of Karnataka.