VELANKANNI: The gold-rimmed flag hailing the Virgin Mary unfurled a week ago, was lowered with reverence bringing the curtains down on the 10-day long celebrations of the feast of Our Lady of Health at Velankanni on Wednesday evening. Pilgrims lined up since dawn. The concelebrated feast mass was presided over by M.Devadass Ambrose, Bishop of Thanjavur. The lowering of the flag was followed by a litany, benediction and mass in Tamil.
Tuesday evening marked the penultimate day of the Velankanni Feast with the Velankanni car festival being spruced with as much grandeur as the flag hoisting ceremony, a week before. The car procession that commenced at half past seven was preceded by bursting of crackers. Five life-size screens were poised at locations for the benefit of pilgrims .
Amid the resonating hymns, the six cars rolled on and the final one , carrying Our Lady of Health was received with an aura of devotion by thousands of pilgrims gathered in front of the shrine. Calls for ‘peace among nations' and ‘love among people' were rending the air along with the trail of the cars. It is said that those, who shouldered the car were decided by the Parish on the basis of requests made by the devotees. While, the six small cars were shouldered by women, the final one with the Lady of Velankanni was carried by men.
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