Mangalore: St John the Baptist Church, Permude

News and pics: Oswald Lasrado
Daijiworld Media Network - Mangalore (SP)

Mangalore, Sep 8: The Feast of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary was celebrated with great devotion and joy at St John the Baptist Church, Permude today morning.

The feast was, as usual, preceded by a devotional practice of nine days, during which a large number of children brought flower offerings to the Blessed Mother.

On the feast day, the new corn was blessed at the premises of the nearby school, followed by a procession to the church. Fr John Fernandes of Mangalore University's Chair of Christianity, along with other three priests, officiated at the celebrations. In his message, Fr Fernandes reminded every one about their duty to preserve ecology and to save the earth, as God has gifted it to us.  Man is not the owner, but a caretaker of the earth, he stressed.

At the end of the church service, sugarcane was given to everyone who took part in the feast.