'Monti Festh' novena begins in coastal Karnataka

Mangaluru: The Monti Festh, celebrating the Nativity of Mother Mary on September 8, has begun its preparatory prayers with the start of the novena on Friday across Coastal Karnataka.

Special novena prayers will be held for nine days in all churches within the Mangalore and Udupi dioceses. These prayers are particularly significant for children, women, and senior citizens, who participate by offering flowers to Infant Mary.

The rituals include a holy mass followed by the offering of flowers at the grotto of Mother Mary. This tradition is observed with great devotion throughout the coastal region.