Media Release
Mangaluru, Feb 16: The annual Relic Feast of St Anthony of Padua culminated in a majestic display of devotion and spiritual fervour at St Anthony’s Shrine, Milagres, on Sunday evening, February 15. Thousands of devotees from across the district thronged the shrine to participate in the Solemn Festal Mass presided over by Dr Bernard Moras, archbishop emeritus of Bangalore.
The theme for the feast day was ‘Speak words of Life’ a fitting conclusion to the nine days of reflection on the sanctity of speech.
In his festive homily, Archbishop Moras drew a profound connection between the uncorrupted tongue of St Anthony and the Christian call to be bearers of life-giving words. "St Anthony’s tongue remains uncorrupted centuries after his death because it never ceased to praise God and speak the truth with love. Today, we are invited to examine our own speech. Do our words bring life, hope, and healing to others, or do they sow division and despair? To 'speak words of life' is to imitate Christ, who is the Word made flesh," the archbishop proclaimed.
The grand Mass was concelebrated by Fr J B Crasta, director of St Anthony Ashram, Jeppu, Fr Praveen Amrith Martis, administrator, Fr Nishanth Vivian Rodrigues, assistant director, and Fr Gilbert D'Souza. They were joined by many priests from the episcopal city deanery and various religious congregations from across the city, signifying the unity of the local church in celebrating the 'Saint of Miracles’.
The Milagres Church grounds were packed to capacity, with devotees participating in the liturgy with deep reverence. A large choir added to the solemnity of the occasion with melodious hymns. At the conclusion of the Mass, Fr J B Crasta thanked the archbishop, the clergy, the donors, and the gathered faithful for their support and devotion.
Morning celebrations
The festive spirit commenced at the break of dawn, setting a prayerful tone for the day. The celebrations began with a festal Mass at St Anthony Ashram, Jeppu, celebrated by Fr Rajesh Rosario, rector of St Joseph Seminary, Jeppu, who invoked God’s blessings upon the gathered devotees. This was followed by the solemn morning Mass at the Ashram, celebrated by Msgr Maxim L Noronha, vicar general of the diocese of Mangalore. Msgr Noronha preached an inspiring homily on the importance of holy speech within family life, urging families to be sanctuaries of truth and love.
To cater to the diverse linguistic needs of the pilgrims, a special Holy Mass in Malayalam was held at the Milagres Shrine. Celebrated by Fr Eby Sebastian CST, the Mass saw a large participation from the Malayalam-speaking community of the region. Throughout the day, a sea of devotees was seen queuing up to light candles, offer petitions, and pay their respects to the Relic of St Anthony, seeking his powerful intercession.