Our Lady of Snows Shrine Basilica Feast begins at Thoothukudi

The 435th annual feast festival of Our Lady of Snows Shrine Basilica, Thoothukudi is being celebrated with lot of religious fervor.

The 11-day festival began with flag-hoisting on July 26 amidst thousands of worshippers. Bishop of Thoothukudi Roman Catholic Diocese, Rev. Fr. Yvon Ambroise, Most Rev. Jose Puthenveettil, Auxiliary Bishop of Ernakulam, offered holy mass in Malayalam, and Rector and Parish Priest, Rev. Fr. Lerin Derose joined the procession. The flag was carried in a procession led by the Bishop, followed by Rector and Parish Priest of the Basilica, Fr. Lerin Derose, Vicar General Rev.Fr. Kirubakaran and other priests marched to the site opposite the Basilica and hoisted the flag.

A band played music during the procession ahead of the flag-hoisting. At the flagpole, the priests released a flock of doves, symbolising the significance of peace.

The Virgin Mary was decked with a golden crown by Fr. Sahayaraj Rayan at noon and it was continued by the mass, sources said. Cutting across religious barriers, people, who thronged the festival, chanted “Mariyae Vaazhga,”. The worshippers offered pots of milk, buttermilk and fruits. A series of prayer services were conducted throughout the day.

Thousands of worshippers took part in the Corpus Christi procession at 435th annual feast festival of Our Lady of Snows Shrine Basilica here on Sunday evening, when the diety was taken on the procession in the Golden Chariot.

The festival will culminate on August 5, the feast day, with special prayers.

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