Annual celebration of feast of saint Lazarus from Jan.19 to 29. Grand car procession to take place.
The 441st annual celebration of the feast of saint Lazarus will be celebrated by the community of Our Lady of Guidance Church in R. A. Puram will be on from January 19 to 29.
This church is commonly known as saint Lazarus church because of the legend behind local histories.
The celebrations will begin with flag hoisting on January 19 at 5.15 pm. There will be five celebrants for the Mass. The main celebrant is Fr. D. F. Bosco, from San Thome He is in charge of Catholic schools in Tamil Nadu. Fr. Aaron from Tambaram will deliver the sermon and conduct a retreat for three days.
Fr. Y. F. Bosco, parish priest said that seven doves will be released during the flag hoisting ceremony and the flag will be taken out in procession within the church campus.
There will be novena Masses every evening, 6.15 p.m. onwards.
On Jan. 28 evening is the colourful car procession, to be held after the Mass. The statues of Mother Mary and of eight saints will be taken out in procession through the neighbourhood streets.
On Jan. 29, there will be be three Masses to mark the feast day – in the morning at 6, 7.30 and 9.15. The Mass at 9.15 will be in English. After the last Mass, another procession will take place in the church zone.
The evening Mass is at 5.15 p.m.. The flag will be lowered and the statue of Mother Mary will be taken out in procession.
This year, the hawker stalls which occupy the sidewalks and provide a mela atmosphere around the church will be set up by hawkers – these were missing for the past two years due to the pandemic conditions.
– Report by Juliana Sridhar
– File photo used here
