Bishop cancels Marian feast in south India

An Indian bishop has canceled a popular Marian feast in February in south India.

Every year, February 9 to 11 are marked as the day of prayer, devotion and festivities, when devotees from all over gather as one family at the feet of the Blessed Mother at Gunadala seeking her intercessory help, said Bishop Joseph Raja Rao Thelagathoti of Vijayawada in a press statement on January 29.       

“With due regard for the health and safety of the people of our Telugu speaking States the annual Gunadala Marymatha Festival 2022 stands canceled,” the prelate said.

St. Mary’s Gunadala Matha Shrine is constructed on a hill in the Gunadala area of Vijayawada in Krishna District of Telangana state of south India.

Mother Mary is said to have appeared on Gunadala hill on Feb 11, 1858. Every year, an annual feast is observed to celebrate this event with much fanfare.

“We did explore every possibility in conducting the feast as usual but could not come up with a viable strategy because of the growing concerns over the spread of Covid-19 and the surge of infection cases,” Bishop Thelagathoti said.

“We understand that this can be an enormous disappointment to call us, but let us remind ourselves that our people's safety, health, and well-being must always be given top priority,” he said.

The Shrine Coordinating Committee has have been closely monitoring the situation and, after due consultations with the local authorities, has decided to cancel the feast, the prelate explained.

According to him, parish priests in Telugu-speaking regions in India can hold devotions and Masses in honor of Mary and live stream the same for people.

“We are coming across news of the rising number of Covid-19 cases and some newer variants surfacing globally. I, therefore, request all to pray to Our Blessed Mother, asking her to intercede for us and deliver us from the effects of the pandemic,” Bishop Thelagathoti said.