OFFICIAL DECLARATION OF ST. ANTONY SHRINE, KEREKATTE ON 13th JUN 2013.

OFFICIAL DECLARATION OF ST. ANTONY SHRINE, KEREKATTE ON 13^th JUNE 2013.

 

On the occasion of the Feast Day of  St Antony, the Kerekatte Shrine near here will be officially declared a "Holy Land and a Holy Pilgrimage Centre" on 13th June, 2013. The grand celebration will begin with a short reception at 10:10 am in front of the shrine. Bishop of Mangalore Dr Aloysius Paul D’Souza will celebrate the Eucharistic mass along with Bishop of Udupi Dr Gerald Isaac Lobo, Bishop of Gulbarga Dr Robert M Miranda, Bishop of Beltangady Dr Lawrence Mukkuzhy and Bishop of Bhadravathi Dr Mar Joseph Arumachadath as the concelebrants. Udupi Diocese Vicar General Dr Msgr Baptist Menezes will proclaim this place to be a Holy Land on this great occasion.

Kerekatte is a small village (35 K.M from Kundapur and 60 K.M from Udupi) which attracts everyone with its natural beauty and lush greenery. This village is located between Balebare Ghat and Kundapur highway. One can observe a small chapel, a big statue and a prayer hall here. It is a pilgrimage place which gives relief from the worries of life, fulfills the wishes of ones heart and grants good health.

Kerekatte was a place known for the devotion of St Antony by the people of all the religions in the neighbourhood during the time of the Portuguese. A  Hindu farmer found a wooden statue of St Anthony while ploughing a field. He gave it to the  priest of Kundapur parish. But very next day the statue found at Kerekatte miraculously. The farmer and his friends  kept it by the road side and used to worship it. Bl. Joseph Vaz saw this miraculous statue and it is believed that he blessed it and had it erected in a thatched shed. People of Kerekatte and the surrounding villagers used to come to the statue to worship it.

 A shrine was erected by Bishop Victor R. Fernandes. Fr Aloysius Rosario, the then priest of Basrur parish, began celebrating St Antony’s feast on a grand scale every year. Meanwhile, he dug a well there for potable water. Fr Placid Pereira built a prayer hall with tiled roof for Mass in the year 1967. Later all the priests who were transferred to this place worked for the betterment of the shrine. Observing the enthusiasm and devotion of the people, the late Bishop Dr Basil S D’Souza made arrangements to have a statue carved out from a single granite stone. Fr Joe Mary Shenoy is responsible for renovating this sub-station and erecting a 11 feet high statue of St Antony.. Mr Joseph D’Costa, a local man carved this beautiful statue. Bishop Basil D’Souza blessed it on Feb.15, 1980.

Under the leadership of Director of the shrine Rev Fr. Xavier Pinto and under the guidance of Bishop of Mangalore Most Rev Dr. Aloysious Paul D’souza since past several years shrine has been developing vary fast and visitors of devotees increased.

The feast of St Antony is celebrated twice (February and June) in a year at Kerekatte Shrine. Thousands of devotees from all corners of DK visit the shrine, participate in the feast and offer prayers.

Rev Xavier Pinto had been appointed as the  official Director for the  pilgrimage centre. Even devotees from neighbouring states pay their visit to Kerekatte Shrine. Special Mass Ceremony and Novena is being held every Tuesday here, Mid-day meals arrangement has been made for the devotees who come here from other places to attend the grand function.


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FOR MORE DETAILS PLEASE CONTACT :

Rev. Fr. Xavier Pinto, (Director)

ST. ANTONY'S SHRINE

Kerekatte, Hosangady Post. Kundapur Tq.

Tel : 08259-288310 Mob : 9448167077.