Kundapur: St Antony's, Kerekatte officially proclaimed shrine
Silvester D'Souza
Daijiworld Media Network - Kundapur
Kundapur, Jun 13: St Antony's, Kerekatte was officially proclaimed as shrine during the annual feast of Padua here on Thursday June 13. The declaration was made by Monsignor Baptist Menezes, vicar general, Udupi Diocese.
The grand celebration of the festal mass began at 10.30 am. The mass was celebrated by Dr Aloysius Paul D'Souza, Bishop of Mangalore, concelebrants were Dr Gerald Issac Lobo, Bishop of Udupi, Dr Robert M Miranda, Bishop of Gulbarga, Dr Lawrence Mukkuzhy, Bishop of Belthangady, Dr Mar Joseph Arumachadath, Bishop of Bhadravati, and all the priests.
During the holy celebration, Monsignor Menezes, vicar general, Udupi Diocese, proclaimed the St Antony Kerekatte as the holy shrine for Udupi Diocese.
Thousands of devotees participated with great devotion in this special occasion.
After the mass, a felicitation programme was held for Dr Gerald Issac Lobo, Bishop of Udupi, felicitated Dr Aloysius Paul D'Souza, Bishop of Mangalore, for his contribution to Kerekatte shrine. Speaking on the occasion, the Bishop of Mangalore appealed to devotees to grow in strong faith and love. He said that Kerekatte is developing and congratulated the Bishop of Udupi for taking the initiative to declare Kerekatte a shrine.
Brief History:
St Antony's Chapel, Kerekatte, the sub-station of St Philip Neri痴 church, Basrur, is situated at a distance of 30 kms from Basrur Church on the Kundapur-Balebare Ghat Road.
Kerekatte was a place known for the devotion of St Antony by the people of all religions in the neighborhood during the time of the Portuguese. Some Hindus who found the wooden statue of St Anthony while ploughing a field, kept it by the road side and used to worship it. Blessed Joseph Vaz might have seen this miraculous statue and it is believed that he blessed it and had it erected in a thatched shed. People of Kerekatte and the surrounding villagers used to come to the statue to worship it.
A shrine was erected by Bishop Victor R Fernandes. Fr Placid Pereira built a small shed here in 1967. Fr Joe Mary Shenoy is responsible for renovating this sub-station and erecting a 13 feet high statue of St Antony on March 15, 1977. Joseph D'Costa, a local man carved this statue. The chapel is served by Basrur. It is well-known in the vicinity for the devotion of St Antony.
Under the leadership of director of the shrine Fr Xavier Pinto and under the guidance of Bishop of Mangalore Dr Aloysius Paul D'Souza, over the past several years, the shrine has been developing very fast and devotees come from all around. The feast has been celebrated twice a year in the months of February and June.
Fr Xavier Pinto had been appointed the official Director for the pilgrimage centre. Even devotees from neighbouring states visit Kerekatte shrine. A special mass ceremony and Novena is held every Tuesday here. Mid-day meal arrangements have been made for the devotees who come here from other places to attend the Novena and mass.
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