Moodbidri: Infant Jesus Feast Celebrated at Alangar

News & Pics:  Vincent Mascarenhas, Sunil, Alpha Digital Studio
Daijiworld Media Network – Moodbidri (VA)

Moodbidri Jan, 17: The Infant Jesus feast at Alangar turned out to be a historical event with thousands of people thronging to the shrine at 5.30 pm on Sunday January 16.

The solemn mass was celebrated by Dr Isidore Fernandes, Bishop of Allahabad Diocese, and concelebrated by 50 priests of the different parishes of Mangalore Diocese. 

Fr Alban D’Souza, parish priest of Pakshikere Church preached a meaningful sermon on prayers. The liturgy was organized by the parish council, varieties of fruits and vegetables of the place were offered during the mass.

Before the mass, there was a grand receiving ceremony for Dr Isidore Fernandes at the gate with a traditional band from local and from Honnavar. Parish Council vice president Clifford Aranha, secretary Mark Rodrigues and P K Thomas, Valerian Sequeira along with the parish priest Fr Basil Vas welcomed the Bishop. Then Transformer was inaugurated which was a donation by Gerald D’Souza, Neermarga, and a new school bus was also blessed.

There was a new statue of Infant Jesus which was brought all the way from Prague, Czek Republic by the Parish Priest Fr Basil Vas, was blessed by the Bishop at the portico of the church. The Statue was placed in an Indian style of wooden muntap donated by Abbas Saw Mill, Moodbidri which itself became a great attraction for the pilgrims.

John Pinto donated the entire dinner for the people was honored along with another John Pinto, New Prince Caterers, Shirthady who too work hand in hand with his full staffs for the preparation and serving of the meal.

Main sponsors were honored by the Bishop with flower bouquet and memento. A new Web portal of Infant Jesus Shrine www.infantjesusalangar.org was launched by the Bishop which was designed and donated by Vincent Mascarenhas, Moodbidri.  The ‘Abolem’ a parish magazine special edition of Infant Jesus feast was released by the bishop.

Msgr Edwin Pinto felicitated Dr Isidore Fernandes, Bishop of Allahabad Diocese. The prayers for the sick were held along with the laying of the hand. It was a nightmare for the volunteers and the guards to control such a mammoth crowd which turned out unexpectedly, but it was a great miracle of Infant Jesus, thousands could eat the meals both non-veg and  veg which was provided by the shrine.

The miraculous power of Infant Jesus was very much evident in a miraculous survival of a Mount rosary Sister who met with a serious accident, just few minutes before the celebration on the main highway just in front the of the gate and many more testimonies of people were coming forward and which will be reported in due time.

Novenas were held for nine days which was also crowded by hundreds of people. Almost 15,000 people attended for the novenas and the feast. Kannada, English Malayalam masses were an added feature.  Roshan Madtha compered the programme.