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Mysore: The worldwide known annual feast of St Anthony Basilica , Dornahalli is on June 13

The worldwide known annual feast of St Anthony Basilica , Dornahalli (Diocese of Mysore) will be celebrated on  June 13 . As a* preparation for the feast, nine days of novenas will be held from June 4.

Around 220 years ago, a farmer while tilling his field, found a wooden statue which was found to have miraculous powers. In the days to come, it was revealed that it was the statue of St. Anthony of Padua. Devotees started visiting this place in large numbers and obtained great favors.

In order to facilitate the devotees to pray and show their reverence to St. Anthony, a small shrine was built in the year 1920, by the Parish priest Rev. Fr. S. D’Silva with the generosity and help of the erstwhile Dewan at the Mysore Palace, Shri Thambu Chetty, and his brother Shri Dharmaraj Chetty.

In the years to come, the number of pilgrims visiting the shrine because of the miracles taking place increased manifold, it was then decided to construct a spacious and beautiful church by the then Parish Priest Very. Rev. Fr. I. H. Lobo, and hence construction started in the year 1964. The newly constructed, spacious, beautiful church was blessed and inaugurated on the 13th of June, 1969 by His excellency Most. Rev. Dr. Matthias Fernandez, who was the Bishop of the Diocese of Mysore.

On the 17th of October, 2019, by the Divine blessings of The Almighty, the Church was granted the status of “Minor Basilica” by His Holiness Pope Francis which is a matter of great joy to all  the Devotees.

On 9th June 2020, Most Rev. Dr. K. A. William Bishop of Mysore Officially announced the Minor Basilica and  Offered the Thanksgiving Mass.

The flag hoisting ceremony after which the novena begins, will be held at 5.30 pm on June 4. The Eucharistic celebration will be celebrated by Dr Bernard Moras (apostolic administrator, diocese of Mysore) on the day. The Holy Eucharistic celebration on days of novena would be in English at 7 am and Kannada at 11 am and 5.30 pm.

Thomas A Vazhapilly, bishop emeritus, diocese of Mysore, will celebrate the Mass on June 5, Msgr Alfred J Mendonca, vicar general, diocese of Mysore, on June 6, Fr Anthonppa j , parish priest, St John the Baptist church Palahali on June 7, Fr Augustine OCD , Dhyanavana Mysore on June 8, Fr Paul Melvin OFM , Rector,  Kripalaya,  Bogadi on June 9, Fr Raymond, parish priest, St Anthony’s Church, Ammathi on June 10, Fr Tenny Kurian , parish priest , St Fathima Church Suluvadi on June 11 and Fr Sebastian Alexander, financial administrator,  diocese of Mysore June 12. The Eucharistic celebrations will be celebrated along with novenas.

On June 13, the feast day, Eucharistic celebrations will commence from 5 am up to 5.30 pm. The festive high Mass will be in Kannada at 10 am by Most Rev. Dr. Bernard Moras, Apostolic Administrator of the Diocese of Mysore. Rev. Fr. N. T. Joseph, Rector of St. Antony’s Basilica, Dornahalli, will conduct the Mass at 5 am in Kannada, Rev. Fr. Anthony Raj J, Parish Priest of St. Theresa’s Church, Doddarayapete, at 6 am in Kannada, Rev. Fr. Joseph Marie J., Director of the Catholic Center, Mysore, at 7 am in English, Rev. Fr. Manuel D’Souza, Director of St. Joseph’s Hospital, Mysore, at 8 am in Kannada, Most Rev. Dr. Bernard Moras at 10 am in Kannada, Rev. Fr. Madalai Muthu, Principal of St. Anne’s PU College, Virajpet, at 11.30 am in Tamil, Rev. Fr. Charles Serrao OCD, Pushpashrama, Mysore, at 1 pm in English, Rev. Fr. Balaraj, Parish Priest of Infant Jesus Church, Balnagar, at 3 pm in Kannada, Rev. Fr. Mari Raj, Parish Priest of St. Joseph’s Church, Mandya, at 4 pm in Kannada, and Rev. Fr. Xavier M., Parish Priest of Sacred Heart Church, Yadavagiri, at 5.30 pm in Kannada, followed by the car procession and Benediction of the Holy Eucharist.

Fr N T Joseph (rector, St Anthony’s Basilica, Dornahalli) and Fr Praveen Pedru (administrator, St Anthony’s Basilica Dornahalli, assistant parish priest, religious sisters and parishioners have cordially invited one and all.