St Anthony’s annual feast: Three-day triduum commences

Mangaluru: The three-day triduum preparation for the feast of St Anthony of Padua started on Wednesday. Centred on the theme, 'Let us build Christ-centred families in the model of miracle-worker St Anthony,” the preparations officially mark the beginning of the grand annual feast scheduled for Saturday.

The first day of the triduum began at the St Anthony Ashram Chapel, Jeppu, at 6 am, with a Holy Eucharistic celebration offered by Fr JB Crasta, director of St Anthony’s Charitable Institutions, who conducted the Novena prayers.

The main morning triduum sessions were facilitated by the Catholic Charismatic Renewal Services of Mangalore Diocese from 9 am to 1 pm at the Jeppu Ashram under the leadership of Fr Clifford Fernandes.

A worship session was led by Brother Rony and Brother Dolphy Lobo, and Fr Vincent Sequeira, the diocesan secretary for the Commission for Bible, delivered a theological discourse on 'Families in the Bible,’ contextualising the feast’s core theme for contemporary times .

Fr Clifford Fernandes celebrated the first day of the triduum mass. Following the mass, a Eucharistic Adoration was led by Fr Anil Joel D’Souza, parish priest of Thokur. The evening celebrations took place at the St Anthony’s Shrine, Milagres, where Fr Boniface Pinto led the holy mass.

The spiritual preparation will end in the grand feast day celebrations on Saturday. On Saturday, the 6 am holy mass will be celebrated by Fr Paul Melwyn D’Souza, OFM Capuchin, at the St Anthony Ashram Jeppu. At 10.30 am holy mass presided over by Fr John Sequeira, OCD, provincial of Karnataka Province.

Meanwhile, at St Anthony’s Shrine in Milagres Church at 8 am holy mass by Fr Valerian D’Souza, rector of Rosario Cathedral. At 4.30 pm special holy mass in Malayalam, followed by main solemn festal mass presided over by Most Rev Peter Paul Saldanha, bishop of the Diocese of Mangalore at 6 pm.