Annual feast of Our Lady of Health Basilica, Harihar, on September 8, 2023
Harihar, Davanagere: The annual feast of Our Lady of Health Basilica, Harihar, Davanagere District, Diocese of Shimoga, has a long history in the state of Karnataka. The history of Our Lady of Health Church dates back to the 18th century. A new church dedicated to Our Lady of Health was built on August 31, 1992. On May 27, 2012, the shrine was officially declared a diocesan shrine of the Diocese of Shimoga. The Vatican raised the Shrine of Our Lady of Health, Harihar, to the status of a Minor Basilica on September 18, 2019. This is the third shrine in Karnataka to have received the status of Minor Basilica after St. Mary’s Minor Basilica in the Archdiocese of Bangalore and St. Lawrence Minor Basilica in the Diocese of Udupi. The official celebration of this milestone was held on January 15, 2020.
Festival of Our Lady of Good Health: The feast of Our Lady of Good Health is celebrated every year on September 8th, on the day of the Nativity. There is a chariot procession carrying the statue of Our Lady of Good Health. The chariot would be decked with (Sevanthige) chrysanthemum flowers sourced from Arsikere. This year’s festival begins on August 30th. The Most Rev. Dr Francis Serrao SJ, Bishop of the Diocese of Shimoga, will hoist the flag of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
Shri. S. S. Mallikarjun, Hon’ble Minister of Mines, Geology, and Horticulture, Government of Karnataka, will be the chief guest. From August 30th to September 7th, every day at 5:30 p.m., there will be a procession, Novena, Floral Homage, Holy Eucharist, adoration, and healing prayer for the sick led by different priests. On September 7th, at 5:30 p.m., Mass will be offered by Most Rev. Dr Robert Miranda, Bishop of the Diocese of Gulbarga. Then there will be adoration and healing services led by Fr Franklin D’Souza, Fr Roman Pinto and Bro. T. K. George.
On September 8th, festival day, there will be masses in various languages. 5:15am in Kannada, 6:15am in Telugu, and 7:15am in Malayalam (Syro Malabar Rite) by Most Rev. Dr Joseph Arumachadath, Bishop of the Diocese of Bhadravati, 8:45am in Tamil, 10am in English, 11am festal Mass by Most Rev. Dr Francis Serrao SJ, Bishop of the Diocese of Shimoga At 1:15 p.m. Mass in Konkani and 2:30 p.m. healing adoration by the Yesusparsha Team 4 p.m. Mass in Kannada, 5 p.m. solemn procession, and 7 p.m. Mass in Kannada Rev. Fr George K. A., Rector of Our Lady of Health Basilica, had already made all preparations together with the faithful of Harihar.
