SPECIAL OCCASION: Bishop of Vijayawada Diocese Mallavarapu Prakash performing Holy Mass during Gunadala Mary Matha Festival in Vijayawada on Saturday.

VIJAYAWADA: The three-day annual festival at Gunadala Mary Matha shrine concluded with healing prayers on Saturday evening.

It was a blend of devotion and entertainment at Gunadala on the concluding day. Pilgrims in large numbers continued to throng the shrine to offer special prayers at the grotto.

Bishop of Vijayawada Diocese Mallavarapu Prakash performed holy mass on Bishop Grassi high school grounds in the morning, while M. Chinnappa of Saint Peters Cathedral performed the evening mass.

Regional charismatic team headed by Father Chinnappa offered healing prayers for the sick in the evening.

Bishop Prakash expressed happiness over the successful completion of the festival and lauded the efforts of the organising committee.

Some of the pilgrims, who had come here to spend all the three days on the shrine premises with their family members, entered into trades like selling candles and idols and portraits of Jesus.

"When we have a means to earn a few bucks, why can't we carry it out?" asked K. Sujatha, an egg vendor from Jaggayyapet, who was busy selling candles. Her husband Chandra Rao was selling toys.

"We are carrying out the business throughout the day and participating in prayers in the evenings," she said.

Joy rides

The pilgrims also enjoyed fun outside the shrine. Joy rides and roadside magic shows entertained children and a wide range of items on display at numerous stalls attracted women. Over a dozen photographers in Gunadala clicked colour photographs just for Rs. 15 and delivered them by the time pilgrims returned from the shrine.

"It is our family photo-cum-souvenir of the shrine," said Gutam Nagaraju of Vaddeswaram, after collecting the photograph at one of the studios.

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