Mangalore: A 9 day Novena festival will be held at Bikarnakatte where the shrine of Infant Jesus is situated on a hill and annual feast of Infant Jesus will be held on Jan.14. this was announced at a press meet at the shrine by Fr Pius James D’Souza, superior of St Joseph’s Monastery at a press meet, in the presence of Fr Elias D’Souza, director of Infant Jesus Shrine, Fr Stephen Pereira, editor of ‘Naman Ballok Jesu’ Konkani monthly, and Elias Fernandes, Four Winds Mass Communication Services.

Each day there will be Mass prayers from morning till noon in Konkani and Masses in English and Kannada in the evening. Prayer is the Core of religion according to Christian faith, hence prayers are performed daily during the festival of Novena and Infant Jesus Carnival from January 5 to 14, 2014.

There will be a blood donation camp for devotees or Jesus on January 9 in the morning, from 9 am to 1 pm.  State health minister U T Khader has agreed to inaugurate this camp.

On the feast day there will be masses from 6 am to 12:30 pm and it will be followed by a special prayer service in Kannada at 1:30 pm.

Free meals will be served to the devotees during the Novena days.

All the masses on the feast and the evening masses on the Novena days will be telecast live on V4 Namma Kudla Channel.

Devotees can contact the Shrine and send their petitions for special favors –
 Infant Jesus Shrine
Carmelite Fathers
# 3-13-1246, Carmel Hill
Bikarnakatte, Kulshekar Post
Mangalore – 575 005
Ph: 91-824-2211124 / 2221144