Jaffna diocese, which organises the annual St Antony’s festival at Katchatheevu islet in the Palk Bay, has extended invitation to the Sivaganga diocese to take part with Indian pilgrims in the festival scheduled to be held on March 15 and 16.
Jaffna diocese Bishop Rev. Fr. Justin Bernard Gnanaprakasam has sent the letter of invitation to Sivaganga diocese Bishop Rev. Fr. J Soosaimanickam after which, Rev. Fr. Devasahayam - Rameswaram-Verkodu parish priest called on Collector K. Veera Raghava Rao here on Wednesday and sought his consent for making necessary arrangements.
Mr. Rao said he would call for a meeting of all security agencies, including the Indian Coast Guard (ICG), the Indian Navy, Intelligence Bureau, Q branch police and the district police and discuss the procedures and formalities to ensure for smooth pilgrimage.
Rev. Fr. Devasahayam, who is the chief coordinator of the pilgrimage, said the parish would invite applications and start registration of mechanised boats for the festival during the first week of February. Those who wished to take part in the pilgrimage should produce no objection certificates from police in their respective regions, he said.
Last year, the festival was held in the islet on February 23 and 24 and a total of 1,920 Indian pilgrims, including 334 women and 52 children participated. The Rameswaram fishermen had donated a teak wood flag mast and monstrance to the St Antony’s Church last year.
This year also, the parish has proposed to register about 60 mechanised boats to take around 2,000 pilgrims, sources said. The pilgrims would leave for the islet on the morning of March 15 and return back the next day evening. The festival would commence with ‘Way of the Cross’ procession, jointly taken out by Indian and Lankan pilgrims followed by flag hoisting and car procession. It would draw to a close on March 16 afternoon after ‘Feast mass’ by Rev, Fr. Gnanaprakasam.
