Media Release

Mangaluru, Jan 14: Amid these untypical circumstances, the annual feast of Infant Jesus, Bikkarnakatte, which has a history of forty years, was celebrated on a low-key on Friday January 14.

The feast was solemnized with Masses and spiritual ministry in the shrine campus. This is for the first time that the Feast of Infant Jesus has been constricted to a single day. Many faithful flocked to the shrine to secure divine blessings. Nine Masses were held throughout the day.

The solemn Mass was celebrated by Fr Archibald Gonsalves, OCD and was concelebrated by Fr Charles Serrao, the superior of St Joseph's Monastery and Fr Rovel D'Souza, the shrine director and Deep Fernandes. Many other priests were also present.

The preachers spoke to the congregation on the themes of maintaining unity, promoting fraternity and exhorted them to embrace with genuineness the concept of Christian love. They also prayed specifically for the sick and all those affected by the virus.