Mangalore: Following Christmas and New Year celebrations, infant Jesus in third of the series of festivals observed by Christians in Mangalore and Bangalore, was completed Last night (Jan.14) in a religious fervour and by Christians with pomp and pleasure.
The shrine at Bikarnakatte near Nanthoor in the city was tastefully decorated and a night mass was held, almost during Makara Vilakku in Sabarimalai concurrently. Prayers and benedictory speech by Fr. Clifford Fernandes were conducted in an atmosphere in keen interest and pious expectations. Various Christian youth associations participated in the jam-packed assembly of devotees to sing hymns and listen to preachings of Christ and see him as a Baby.
The festive mass alone attracted a crowd of 12,000 people. Nine days of Novena preceded the feast of Infant Jesus in a zeal of repentance, reconciliation, justice and evangelisation.
In Rome, the German Pope Benedict 16th beatified his predecessor Pope John Paul 2nd (of Poland).
Social groups such as children, youths, women and elderly persons thronged the Infant Jesus shrine in city ardent religious prayers and deliverance from sufferings to their souls.