Media Release

Udupi, Aug 5: The annual feast of the Our Lady of Health (Velankanni) Shrine at Stella Maris Church, Kalmady, will be celebrated with great devotion and solemnity on August 15. This year's feast carries the theme, ‘Do Whatever He Tells You.’

As part of the annual celebrations, a nine-day Novena will be held from August 6 to 14. The Novena will commence on August 6 at 3.45 pm with the ceremonial hoisting of the shrine flag by Dr Gerald Isaac Lobo, bishop Emeritus of the diocese of Udupi.

Throughout the Novena, special prayers will be offered for youth, religious, the sick and differently abled, Christian families, devotees living abroad, benefactors, married couples, children, and all the faithful.

A procession with the statue of Our Lady of Velankanni will be held on August 13 at 2.45 pm, beginning from Adi Udupi Junction and proceeding to the shrine. The procession will be flagged off by Fr Franklin D'Souza of the diocese of Shivamogga.

The Festal Eucharistic celebration will be held on August 15 at 10.30 am, with Dr Leslie Clifford D'Souza, bishop of the diocese of Udupi, as the main celebrant. Several priests from the diocese and thousands of devotees are expected to participate in the celebrations.

Holy Masses on the feast day have been scheduled at 7.30 am and 4.00 pm in Konkani, 2.00 pm in Kannada, and 6.00 pm in English, according to a press release issued by Fr Baptist Menezes, Rector of the Shrine.

About Stella Maris Church, Kalmady

The Stella Maris Chapel was established in 1972 by the late Fr Charles D'Souza to serve the spiritual needs of Catholic families in and around Kalmady. It was elevated to the status of a full-fledged parish in 1991.

The present ship-shaped Stella Maris Church, popularly known as the ‘Star of the Sea’ Church, was newly built in 2018. On August 15, 2022, the church was officially declared the Our Lady of Health Shrine of the diocese of Udupi by the then bishop, Dr Gerald Isaac Lobo.

At present, Fr Baptist Menezes serves as the Rector of the Shrine.

The shrine also hosts a weekly Saturday retreat from 9.00 am to 12.30 pm, featuring preaching, Eucharistic adoration, Holy Mass, Novena prayers to Our Lady of Velankanni, and a fellowship meal. The programme attracts thousands of devotees from Udupi district and various parts of Karnataka throughout the year.