Monti Fest celebrated with fervour in coastal churches

Monti Fest celebrated with fervour in coastal churches

Mangalore Today News Network

Mangaluru, Sep 8, 2025: Today, the birthday of Mother Mary, who gave birth to Jesus Christ, is a special day for Christians along the coastal belt. The faithful celebrate this feast in a unique way, popularly known as Monti Fest, Thene Habba (Festival of New Corn), or Harvest Festival. On this occasion, flowers are offered, and the first sheaves of the new harvest are brought in procession to honour Mother Mary.

 

 

 

 

 

In Coastal Karnataka, September marks the harvest season. Farmers reap their crops around this time, and coincidentally, September 8 is celebrated as the Nativity of Mother Mary. Linking these two traditions, Christians observe the day as a harvest feast. Churches hold special prayers, and devotees joyfully offer freshly harvested paddy along with flowers in gratitude. Priests bless the new corn during Mass, which is later distributed to the faithful as a symbol of unity and togetherness. Families then prepare a sweet dish (payasam) with the blessed grains and share it at home, reinforcing the spirit of family bonds.

 

 

 

 

 

At the Bondel St. Lawrence Shrine in Mangaluru, the main celebrant, Rev. Fr. Andrew Leo D’Souza, led the solemn Eucharistic celebration and blessed the new harvest.

This festival carries a tradition of more than 300 years. For nine days leading up to the feast, children gather flowers from their gardens and offer them at the statue of Mother Mary in churches. On the final day, the newly harvested corn is blessed and distributed. The festival is especially significant among agrarian Christian families of the region. Offering the first yield to God, praying for a good harvest in the coming year, and observing vegetarian meals on the day are central practices.

Thus, this feast is celebrated as the birthday of Mother Mary, a harvest festival for farmers, and a joyful flower festival for children. Across all churches, special prayers are held, conveying messages of family unity, gratitude, and the deeper values that festivals bring to life.