Chikmagalur: Feast of Infant Jesus celebrated at Bala Yesu Niwasa, Parvatipura

By Dr. Eugene DSouza, Moodubelle
Bellevision Media Network

Chikmagalur, 15 Jan 2013: The feast of Infant Jesus was celebrated with great fervor and devotion at the Infant Jesus Shrine (Bala Yesu Niwasa) at Parvatipura, Chikmagalur on Monday, January 14, 2013 at 5.30 pm. Nearly 4,000 devotees of Infant Jesus assembled in the open ground in front of  a magnificently decorated altar to pay respect to the Divine Child. Most Rev. Dr. T. Antony Swamy, Bishop of Chikmagalur concelebrated the solemn Feast Mass along with other priests from Chikmagalur diocese.

 

In his homily, Most Rev. Dr. Antony Swamy traced the origin and spread of the devotion of Infant Jesus  throughout the world. He also emphasized on the declaration of this year as the Year of Faith which is also the Golden Jubilee Year of the foundation of the Diocese of Chikmagalur.

 

Prior to the feast Mass, the Bishop was received at the main entrance of the shrine by offing him garland   by Rev. Fr. Valerian Castelino, the Director of the Bala Yesu Niwasa. Thereafter the Bishop was led by the band from St. Joseph’s Girls School. A group of students performed entrance dance as the procession of the priests followed by the Bishop proceeded to the main altar to offer the solemn feast Mass.

 

 

 

There has been hectic preparation for the annual feast of Infant Jesus. The novena on nine days from January 5 to January 13  was preached by priests from different parts of the Chikmagalur Diocese. A large number of volunteers and sisters from different centers and convents helped in fabricating and decorating the altar and making seating arrangements. The beautiful grotto of Infant Jesus was prepared by Manoj Bennis  and his associates. Fr. David Prakash, Director of the Minor Seminary trained the choir comprising of a large number of singers including sisters, lay persons and minor seminarians.

 

This is the third year since Rev. Fr. Valerian Castelino, originally from Moodubelle,   began celebrating the annual feast of Infant Jesus with great devotion and fervor. During the last three years there has been steady increase of devotees of Infant Jesus coming to this shrine for nine days of novena as well as the feast. A number of devotees have vouched for the favours that they have received through their devotion to Infant Jesus. This year too, a couple claimed that they were blessed with a baby boy after six years of their marriage through their devotion to Infant Jesus.

 

After the mass, the brothers from the minor seminary presented a dance depicting the Year of the Faith and also the Golden Jubilee of the formation of the Chikmagalur Diocese.

 

All the devotees were served biryani dinner following the end of the programme. The serving was done so systematically that over 4,000 devotees who queued up in two lines could get their dinner within forty-five minutes.