Moodubelle: Feast of St. Lawrence celebrated with devotion and excitement

Report by Dr. Eugene DSouza, Moodubelle
Pictures by Anil Alva
Bellevision Media Network

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Moodubelle, 10 August 2010: The feast of St. Lawrence as per the calendar date, 10 August 2010 was celebrated with great devotion and excitement by the parishioners of Moodubelle. The parishioners in their festive dresses streamed in the compound of the church in their private vehicles, bikes, rickshaws, walking and entered with great devotion to the interior of the newly painted church and elegantly and aesthetically decorated altar from 9.45 am itself so that they could have the vantage place to have the full view of the altar where the festive mass would be offered.

In the centenary year of the foundation of the parish of Moodubelle dedicated to St. Lawrence, the preparation for the feast of the patron saint has been done well in advance. Since 21 February 2010, the statue of St. Lawrence had been on a spiritual journey through all the 22 wards of the parish. In all the wards, there was a revival of spiritual life and a common bond of unity that gradually bound the entire parish as a large family united in devotion to their patron saint. Eventually, St. Lawrence returned to the church on 31 July 2010 and the novena in preparation to the calendar feast began from 1 August 2010. The attendance to the novena in honour of St. Lawrence on all the nine days was quite impressive.

On Tuesday, 10 August 2010, the feast day of St. Lawrence, the church campus presented a festive look with ice-cream vans at the entrance, devotees of St. Lawrence visiting the shrine, praying fervently for the favours received or asking for additional favours and burning candles. By the side of the shrine there were few stalls selling religious articles. On the whole the entire atmosphere within and outside the church resembled that of a mini annual parish feast. Prior to the main feast mass at 10.30 am there were two masses at 6.30 am and 8 am for those parishioners who had to be at home by forenoon in order to prepare the feast meal and also to welcome relatives and friends who would be visiting their homes for the feast.

At 10 am, Fr. Joswey Fernandes, the parish priest began distributing the ‘candles of honour’ (Manachyo vathi) to those who had sponsored the feast (mud-dhom) as Mrs. Meera Lobo read out ward wise names of the donors. Just before the start of the feast mass, Henry Fernandes, the Vice President of the Parish Council welcomed the Episcopal Vicar and other concelebrants including Rev. Fr. Mathew Vas, Vicar General of the Udupi Varado, Rev. Fr. Stany Tauro, Vicar General of Shirva Varado and Fr. Valerian D’Souza, former Parish Priest of Moodubelle.

At 10.30 am, twenty-four priest including the chief celebrant, Rev. Dr. Baptist Menezes, the Episcopal Vicar of Udupi District came in procession through the main entrance of the church led by the altar servers and readers of  the scriptures. The aura of the feast mass was raised to a new spiritual and emotional height by the melodious singing of the choir.

At the end of the feast mass, Fr. Joswey Fernandes conveyed the greetings of the feast to all parishioners including all those who are in different parts of India and abroad.

Bellevision wishes to all its readers and well-wishers Happy feast of St. Lawrence.

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