Christmas in Kanara filled with devotion good will

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Dec 25, 2016: The Konkani Christians of Kanara mainly on the west coast districts of Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Kasargod celebrated Christmas with great good will and devotion as per tradition. Churches held a solemn holy mass on Saturday late evening between 8 and 10 pm, with the majority of the faithful attending. Children particularly were seen enjoying the blessings in their finery and admiring one another.

 

 

Bishop Rev Dr Aloysius Paul D’Souza concelebrated the solemn holy mass at Rosario Cathedral in the city along with the four priests of the church. In most parishes the parish priest along with other resident priests or guests held the mass witch was a special event.  Though almost all the churches in the coastal districts had started the preparations for making the crib about a month ago, the final touches were given on the eve of Christmas.

In Mangalore city, cribs at all the churches, including Cathedral (Rosario -a revolving one, Lady of Miracles (Milagres), St Sebastian’s Church (Bendoor), Holy Cross Church (Kulshekar), Infant Jesus shrine (Bikarnakatta), St Joseph’s Seminary (Jeppu), St Rita’s church (Casia), Guardian Angel church (Angelore), St Lawrence (Bondel), Mother Theresa (Paldane), St Francis Xavier church (Bejai) and Our Lady of Immaculate Conception (Urwa)  were all in traditional taste. No church in Dakshina Kannada district had midnight mass as in other times too.

St Sebastian’s Church, Bendoor

 

St Francis Xavier church, Bejai

 

Lady of Miracles, Milagres

The city has been a rush of festivities in the last few days. Making cribs, decorating roofs/apartments with Christmas stars or making ‘Kuswar’ (the traditional sweets made during Christmas season which include Nevryo, Kideo, Gulio, Kokkisan, Rice Laddu, Tukdi and of course, cakes), every Catholic family was busy in one or the other way.  The shopiing areas were well patronised including malls which extended the spirit in special ways.   Many well-known bakeries made a brisk business and a number of shop owners had set up ‘temporary’ bakeries (with shamiyana covering on top) by the roadside in many places in the city.

As a part of tradition, many Christians also exchanged the Kuswar with their brethren and distributed among the non-Christians. Relatives will today visit their elders and loved ones and Gretings exchanged in many ways; the modern mobile technology is surely  a boon and a bane with contact world wide.

"Mangalore Today" wishes all it’s readers and contributors "A VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS AND A HOLY SEASON".