Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru (EP)
Mangaluru, Dec 5: The Pompei Shrine feast at Urwa Church will be held on Sunday December 9.
The festal mass will be celebrated at 5.30 pm. Bishop of Mangaluru, Dr Peter Paul Saldanha will offer the mass and preside over the celebrations.
There will be a religious procession after the mass through the streets of Urwa.
The other programmes that day are mass at 7.00 am, 8.15 am and 10.15 am for the sick.
The theme for the feast is ‘You are the salt of the earth’ – the words of Jesus from the Bible.
About Pompei shrine
Mary (Maria), the mother of Jesus is affectionately called by different names. Our Lady of Pompei is another 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 Pompei. Very soon the people of Pompei changed. This news spread all over the country. Since Mother Mary appeared in Pompei, she is honoured as Mother of Pompei/Our Lady of Pompei.
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 it regularly.