Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Bangalore (Agenzia Fides) - A crowd of over 30,000 Catholics gathered for the solemn reopening of Saint Mary’s Basilica near Bangalore, in the south western Indian state of Karnataka.
A special mass with the blessing of the newly restored church building, closed for renovation for a long time, was presided by Archbishop Bernard Moras of Bangalore.
The church, built in 1882, has always drawn crowds of people devoted to the Blessed Virgin Mary. The Archbishop underlined the sense of peace and harmony experienced at this Marian shrine urging Christians to spread this peace and harmony among believers of all religions: “Our country is multicultural and multireligious - he said - and celebrations such as this can serve to bring people of different beliefs and social conditions closer”. For the occasion of the re-opening of the Basilica a novena of prayer, masses and adoration of the Blessed Sacrament was organised. Special prayers were said for peace in India among citizens of different religions. The state of Karnataka in fact is not spared episodes of violence against Christians institutions or persons on the part of Hindu fundamentalist groups. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 5/9/2006 righe 24 parole 248)
