Annual Feast celebrated at St Anthony Basilica, Dornahalli

Mangaluru: On the feast day,  masses were held from morning 5 am upto 5.30 pm.

The Festive Eucharistic Celebration was held in Kannada at 10 am by Most Rev.Dr Bernard Moras, Apostolic Administrator, Diocese of Mysore and Rev. Fr Clifford, Secretary of Bishop, preached the sermon. Rev. Fr N. T. Joseph, Rector, St Antony’s Basilica, Dornahalli, Rev Fr Praveen Pedru, Administrator, St Anthony’s Basilica, Dornahalli, Rev.Fr  Julian, Vice Rector, St Antony’s Basilica, Dornahalli, Rev.Msgr. Alfred J Mendonca, Vicar General, Diocese of Mysore, Rev.Fr James Dominic, Financial Administrator, Diocese of Mysore, Rev.Fr Joseph Palciya Roy, Chancellor,  Diocese of Mysore,Rev.Fr Bernard Prakash Barnis, Rector, St Philomena’s College, Rev.Fr Madali Muthu, Procurator of education board, were present as co-celebrants.

The 5 am mass was celebrated by Rev. Fr N. T. Joseph, Rector, St Anthony’s Basilica, Dornahalli, at 6 am by Rev. Fr Sanjay Kumar Administrator, St Joseph’s Hospital, Mysuru, at 7 am by Rev. Fr Edward William Saldanha, Parish Priest, St Mary’s Church, H. D. Kote, at 8 am by Rev. Fr Chinnappa, Parish Priest, Mother of Humanity Church, Mandya, at 11.30 am by Rev. Fr Vincent M, Parish Priest, O.L of Perpetual Succor Church, Srirampura, at 1.00 pm by Rev. Fr Valentine R. Kumar, Parish Priest, Holy Family Church, Hinkal, at 3 pm by Rev. Fr Gnanapragasam, Parish Priest, O. L. of Presentation Church. Mariamangalam, at 4 pm by Rev. Fr George Deepak, Parish Priest, St Michael’s Church, Madikeri,  at 5.30 pm by Rev. Fr Michael Mari A. Parish Priest, St Joseph’s Church, Siddapura, which was followed by the Car Procession and Benediction of the Holy Eucharist Rev. Fr N. T. Joseph, Rector, St Anthony’s Basilica, Dornahalli thanked everyone for their support and cooperation.

Ravi Shankar, MLA of K.R Nagar also paid a visit to St Anthony’s Basilica.

Lakhs of Devotees took part in the eucharistic celebrations throughout the day

The Annual Feast of St Anthony Basilica Dornahalli 2023 was a great success with the help of local leaders, benefactors and devotees.

Around 220 years ago, a farmer while tilling his field, found a wooden statue which was found to have miraculous powers. In the days that followed, it was revealed that it was the statue of St Anthony of Padua. Devotees started visiting this place in large numbers and obtained great favours.

In order to facilitate the devotees to pray and show their reverence to St Anthony, a small shrine was built in the year 1920, by the Parish Priest Rev. Fr S. D’Silva with the generosity and help of the erstwhile Dewan at the Mysore Palace, Shri Thambu Chetty, and his brother Shri Dharmaraj Chetty. In the years to come, the number of pilgrims visiting the shrine because of the miracles taking place increased manifold, it was then decided to construct a spacious and beautiful church by the then Parish Priest Very. Rev. Fr I. H. Lobo, and hence construction started in 1964. The newly constructed, spacious, beautiful church was blessed and inaugurated on 13 June 1969 by His Excellency Most Rev. Dr Matthias Fernandez, Bishop of the Diocese of Mysore.

On the 17 of October 2019, by the Divine blessings of The Almighty, the Church was granted the status of “Minor Basilica” by His Holiness Pope Francis which is a matter of great joy to all Devotees.

On 9 June 2020, Most Rev. Dr K. A. William Bishop of Mysore Officially announced the Minor Basilica and offered the Thanksgiving Mass.