Mangalore Diocese News

Media Release

Mangaluru, April 9 : The Holy commemoration of the historical event of the sacrifice of Lord Jesus on the cross was observed in Neermarga Parish with utmost reverence and was participated by a large number of believers on 7th April, 2023. The Way of the Cross was conducted on the Church Grounds at 8 a.m. Word of God, Reflection, Life’s Echoes, Thoughts of Jesus and Mary, Lent Hymns and Prayers for each of the fourteen stations was sublime and was read by a representative from 16 wards. For about 90 minutes, the Way of the Cross was observed that helped the congregation to spend time with Christ, thanking Him, praising Him and remembering Jesus’ love, sacrifice, and forgiveness and drawing near to Him.

The Evening Ceremony commenced at 5.30 p.m. At the outset, Monsignor Maxim Lawrence Noronha, the Vicar General of Mangalore Diocese and Rev Fr Anil D Mello, Parish Priest, came in procession and prostrated in front of the Bare Altar. The Good Friday liturgy contains Four unique components: the Reading from the Scriptures including the Passion of the Lord according to the Gospel of St. John, the praying of The Solemn Intercessions, the Adoration of the Holy Cross and the Holy Communion. Each of these assisted the Faithful enter more fully into their relationship with Christ and to pray and work for the good of the church and the world.

Msgr Maxim Noronha in his homily, narrating the incident of Victoria Brezhnev and the Sign of the Cross said, “Courage, Hope. Faith, the Grace and the Love of God never stops reaching out to us. Even when we run from Him, He still pursues us. So long as we have life, He loves us and wants us to be with Him. He reaches out to us with a relentless love. Through decades of life in a godless regime, He reached out to Victoria through her love for her husband. In her heart, He kindled the light of hope—That Hope gave Victoria the courage to trace the Cross on her husband’s body”. Further Helping the congregation to meditate on the Seven Last Words of Jesus he said,” The Seven Last Words are our Lord’s last sermon, where He mounted the pulpit for the last time. He preached his most powerful sermon from the cross. These seven statements contain the promise of forgiveness, the affirmation that heaven is for real, a reminder to care for parents, a challenge to verbalize one’s heart before God, an entreaty to thirst for living water, an appeal to finish what you have begun and an invitation to place your life in God’s Hands”.

Mrs Reeshel Pereira compered the ceremony and Master Sheldon Peres captured the pictures.