Media Release
Mangaluru, Feb 5: The feast in honour of Relic of Saint Antony will be celebrated on February 15.
The nine-day Novena will begin on Tuesday February 6 in preparation for the feast. The inauguration will be carried out by hoisting Saint Antony’s Shrine flag at Our Lady of Miracles Church Milagres. Fr Franklin D’Souza, director of Family Counselling Centre Shivamogga will hoist the flag and celebrate the inaugural mass at Milagres Church. Before hoisting the flag a vehicle rally will be held at 4 pm, wherein decorated Saint Anthony’s statue will be taken out in procession from Saint Ashram Jeppu to Milagres Church via Kankanady circle, Falnir road.
The nine days of Novena are dedicated to different groups of people namely - youth, children, married people, sick, elderly, religious, leaders etc. Special prayers will be offered for these various groups of people. Renowned priests are invited to celebrate holy mass and preach the homily on the theme marked according to the group dedicated for the day. The choir groups from nine different parishes will lead the singing on the nine days of Novena.
The main festive holy mass will be celebrated by Bishop Dr Aloysius Paul D’Souza on February 15 at 6 pm at Milagres Church ground. A holy mass in Malayalam will be celebrated by Bishop of Calicut Dr Varghese Chakkalakal at 4.30 pm at Milagres Church. For the sick and elderly, a holy mass will be offered by Episcopal Vicar for Religious Dr Pius D’Souza at 8.15 am at Milagres Church. Rt Fr Vicar General of the diocese Msgr Denis Moras Prabhu will offer a holy mass at 11 am at St Antony’s Ashram Jeppu for the invitees and special invitees.
The tongue of Saint Antony who lived in the thirteenth century is still fresh and kept at Padua in Italy where he did most of his pastoral ministry. Saint Antony is revered all over the world, is invoked specially to find the lost articles.
Director of the institutes Fr Onil D’Souza, administrator Fr Francis D’Souza, diocesan media secretary Vincent Mascarenhas were present.