Devotees Celebrate Miracle Worker St Anthony’s Feast
“Thousands come to pour out their hearts, and many believe their requests are granted,” : Father Selvakumar Aloysius
HYDERABAD: The annual feast of St Anthony drew worshippers to the saint’s shrine in Mettuguda on Friday, where Holy Masses were celebrated continuously from 5 am until 7 pm.
Cardinal Poola Anthony offered the celebratory Holy Mass at 11.30 am urging the congregation “not to lose hope, but to trust in God in difficult times.” Clergy from across the archdiocese took part in other services throughout the day.
Pilgrims from both Telangana and Andhra Pradesh filled the compound. Siblings Ronal and Ruben, regular visitors for many years, said their family keeps returning “because this shrine is known for miracles.”
Parish priest and rector Father Selvakumar Aloysius noted that devotees of all faiths visit every Tuesday to present petitions. “Thousands come to pour out their hearts, and many believe their requests are granted,” he said. In keeping with the shrine’s tradition of charity, worshippers also donated loaves of bread for distribution to the poor, recalling St Anthony of Padua’s practice of giving alms in his native Italy.
Philomena Dave of Marredpally said she was especially moved by the trilingual liturgies. “The Latin hymns were beautiful, and services in Telugu, Tamil, and English welcomed everyone,” she said.
Organisers said the celebrations concluded peacefully at one of Secunderabad’s most popular pilgrim sites.