Media Release

Mozambique, Sep 9: The Mangalorean community celebrated the feast of the nativity of Blessed Virgin Mary – Monti Fest in Maputo, Mozambique in Southern Africa.

The Konkani mass was celebrated by Fr Johnson of Barkur, a missionary priest of SVD congregation resident in Maputo. Before the mass the novem was blessed and was tasted before novem jevaan praising God and remembering all the dead in the families to mark the day of the community and family.

During the homily, Fr Johnson described the importance of a mother and quoted the Bible verses where Jesus Christ gave his mother to them.

"Every person loves his mother whether he is near to her or away on his livelihood as mother’s love brings all of us together and gives us life of hope, family values and unity," he said. All the traditional hymns were sung and it was a total family gathering.

Jerome Sequeira and Venzil Misquit from South Africa joined the Mangalorean community of Maputo as guest participants specially arrived from Johannesburg to join their friends in Maputo.

After the mass the novem jevaan was served on plantain leaves as a tradition with seven different vegetables followed by warne and halwa. It was the day of celebration of love, unity as everyone hugged each other and wished a happy feast.