Shirva, 26 Aug 2011: The holy Relic of St. Don Bosco which was kept for veneration in Our Lady of Health Church, Shirva on Thursday, August 25, 2011 since its ceremonial reception in the morning at 9 am was given an emotional farewell by the devotees on Friday, August 26, 2011 after 6.30 am mass which was attended by a large number of parishioners.The relic was handed over to the representatives of the Salesian priests from Bangalore who had arrived to receive it. Rev. Fr. Stany Tauro, Parish Priest of Shirva, Assistant Parish Priests, Provincial of Salesian Province of Konkan, Fr. Maxim D’Souza (sdb) and other Salesian priests and brothers were present on this occasion.
It was an emotional moment for the devotees to bid farewell to the Relic of St. Don Bosco which had created a spiritual awakening amongst the devotees who had thronged to Shirva on Thursday, August 25, 2011.
On Thursday thousands of devotees from different parts of the Mangalore diocese paid a visit to the church and venerated the relic. In the morning at 11 am, the Bishop of Mangalore con-celebrated Holy Eucharist for the youth with a number of priests.
There was symposium for the youth and members of the Parish Council and Msgr. Denis Moras Prabhu, the Vicar General of Mangalore Diocese offered Mass for the devotees at 4 pm.
The visit of the Relic of Don Bosco to Shirva, the only parish in the Mangalore Diocese can be considered historical as no such occasion was observed in the annals of the Mangalore Diocese.