Mangalore : The Infant Jesus Shrine celebrated its annual Infant Jesus Feast at Bikarnakatte on Jan 14 Saturday.

Dr. Aloysius Paul D’Souza, the bishop of Mangalore Diocese, conducted the festive mass at 6:00 pm and the homily was delivered by Fr. Praveen Leo of St. Joseph’s Seminary.

About 13,000 people participated in the nine-day novena, festive mass and special prayers, which began on Jan 5.

The festival was celebrated under the theme of “glowing with faith, lamps of light”, in commemoration with the 125th anniversary celebration of Mangalore Diocese.

The Carmelites of Infant Jesus Shrine also organized a blood donation camp on Jan 12.

A special mass for the sick was conducted and an inter-religious prayer service was held in Kannada by Fr. Vijay Kumar, Fr. Nelson, Fr. Joy Painandath, Fr. Biju, Fr. Abraham, Fr. John Sequeira, Fr. Andrew D’Souza, Fr. Vijay Kumar, and Fr. Maxim Noronha.