RELIGIOUS FERVOUR: A large number of people attended the special prayers held as part of the 36th annual feast of Infant Jesus Shrine in Bangalore on Thursday. — Photo: Sampath Kumar G.P.

BANGALORE: Thousands of devotees thronged the Infant Jesus Shrine in Viveknagar on Thursday as the 36th annual feast commenced with the unveiling of the Infant Jesus flag.

The feast will end with a procession of the Infant Jesus idol on January 14. Soon after Archbishop Emeritus of Bangalore Ignatius Pinto unfurled the flag, the special mass commenced. Devotees lit candles on the shrine premises.

Assistant Parish Priest Patrick Lobo told The Hindu that the unfurling of the flag follows nine days of "Novena" that includes special prayers and masses.

"These prayers will enable the individuals to prepare themselves spiritually for the procession. The unfurling of the flag is a symbolic act which states that we have offered ourselves to the Lord," he said. Later in the evening, Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy paid a visit to the shrine.

He was accorded a warm welcome by Parish priest Martin Kumar. Nine special masses will be conducted every day till January 14 when the procession will be taken out.

The special masses, whioch will start from 5.45 a.m., will be held in Tamil, Kannada, Telugu, Konkani, Malayalam and English.

Besides cultural programmes, mass marriages and confessions have been organised as a part of the annual feast.

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