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States » SouthPosted at: Mar 14 2025 7:09PM


St.Antony’s Church festival begins with flag hoisting at Katchatheevu Islet

Rameswaram (Tamil Nadu) Mar 14 (UNI) The two-day annual festival of ‘St.Antony’s Church’ commenced with the ceremonial flag hoisting event at the Katchatheevu Islet in Sri Lanka on Friday evening.
Official sources said after the holy flag hosting event, the ‘Thiru Jabamalai’ (Way of the Cross) ritual and special prayers were performed by the Christian priests from Sri Lanka and India.
A grand procession would be held on Saturday morning, followed by a Holy Mass.
Over 4,000 pilgrims from Sri Lanka and 3,464 pilgrims, including 652 women and 92 children from India were participating in the festival.
Earlier, the Indian pilgrims were ferried to Katchatheevu Islet by 78 mechanized fishing boats and 22 country boats fitted with outboard engines.
The pilgrims have started sailing to the Katchatheevu Islet from Rameswaram fishing jetty in several batches, after the mandatory security clearance, this morning.
Though there was no need for visa and passport for the pilgrimage, the Indian authorities followed customs and immigration procedures.
The hovercrafts and patrol vessels of Indian Coast Guard (ICG) escorted the Indian pilgrims up to the International Maritime Boundary Line (IMBL) from where the pilgrims were taken to the Katchatheevu by the Sri Lankan Navy.
The festival will wind up by Saturday afternoon after which the Indian pilgrims will return to Rameswaram in the evening.
The Sri Lankan Navy had established infrastructure and other facilities, including sanitation and drinking water, temporary shelters, roads, jetties and electricity supply for the convenience of the visiting pilgrims.
UNI GSM CS
Tags: #St.Antony’s Church festival begins with flag hoisting at Katchatheevu Islet
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