Media Release

Mangaluru, Nov 2: All Souls' Day in Catholic Church is a day of commemoration of all the faithful departed. Special prayers were offered in all churches in memory of the departed souls. People visit graves of their beloved ones to pray for them. They adorn the grave site with flowers and candles.

Special arrangements were made in Bejai parish cemetery and cemeteries to celebrate the memory of the dead and to offer prayers for them.

Fr J B Saldanha, parish priest offered the prayers. Fr Robert D’Souza, principal, Lourdes Central School, Fr Sooraj Lobo, Fr Anush D’Cunha and Fr Vincent Sequeira were present.

Bejai parish cemetery came into existence in 1869 on a piece of land obtained from British government. Joseph Lobo Prabhu was the principal founder of cemetery chapel in Bejai. Those of days it was served from Rosario Cathedral and later on March 23, 1912, Fr Sebastian Noronha SJ was appointed as resident chaplain of Bejai. The Bejai parish was however officially erected in May 9, 1929.

The graves of the pioneers and stalwarts who supported the cause of the erection of Bejai parish like Joseph Lobo Prabhu, Fr Joseph Peter Fernandes, Fr Antony A E Colaco, Sebastian Sequeira, John Peter Sequeira, Kistu Kamath, J J C Fernandes, George Peter Lobo, Santan Menezes, Camilo Patrao, Francis J M Pais, Simon Patrao, Clara Noronha and many others are interned in Bejai church and Bejai church cemetery.

The cemetery is well maintained, looks neat and clean as the memory of the departed ancestors is recalled on this day.