Karkala: Annual feast of Attur St Lawrence Basilica to be held from Jan 21 to Jan 26

Karkala: The annual feast of St Lawrence Basilica in Attur, Karkala will be celebrated from January 21 to 26, announced by Fr Alban D’Souza, the director of the basilica. Addressing a press conference on January 13, Fr D’Souza highlighted the festival’s significance in promoting interfaith harmony, emphasizing the inclusive participation of devotees nationwide, irrespective of caste or creed.

The festival will feature 48 Holy Eucharistic celebrations over the six days, with 45 in Konkani and 3 in Kannada. Special prayers for the sick and children will take place on January 26, with an invitation extended to those in need of healing, he said.

The theme of this year’s festival is ‘Ask and it shall be given,’ conveyed through special prayers and sacrifices. The festivities will commence on January 14 with the celebration of St Sebastian’s festival and the inauguration of the annual feast. Karkala MLA Sunil Kumar, along with the president and vice president of the panchayat, is set to participate in the program at 9 am.

The novena prayers, which commenced on January 12, will continue leading up to the festival days. Eucharistic processions by Attur devotees are scheduled for January 20 at 3:30 pm.

Distinguished bishops from various dioceses will preside over the Festival Masses on different days, with the final sacrifice on January 26 at 5 pm. Confessional facilities for Catholic Christians are also provided, he added.

Devotees are allowed to submit offerings in the form of money, materials, and candles on the left side of the church. The basilica premises have modern toilets, including facilities for disabled individuals and senior citizens.

Stringent security measures will be in place, with a significant presence of police officers to maintain law and order. Extensive parking spaces have been designated, and traffic regulations implemented to ease the flow of vehicles. To ensure the safety of devotees, the basilica has installed 64 CC cameras, he said. , he added.

Fr Roman Mascarenhas, spiritual director, and other key figures were present during the press conference.