Patron saint of lost articles
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The 100-year old St. Anthony’s Church at Sapper’s Line has people of all faiths thronging there. A. Joseph Antony
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Photo: Mohammed Yousuf
Miracle shrine St. Anthony’s Church in Sapper’s Line.
George Joseph of Singapore had misplaced a bag of expensive electronic equipment at the Chennai airport, shortly before boarding a flight for Hyderabad on a Friday afternoon. The third call had gone out for him and his family, leaving him no time to
register a complaint.
By Sunday he’d all but given up hope of finding that lost bag, till a friend suggested that he visit the St. Anthony’s Church at Sapper’s Line, located in the Balamrai/Bholakpur area of Secunderabad. Joseph made that trip, offered a prayer and then faxed a complaint to the CISF police at Chennai airport.The bag was recovered with all the valuables intact, more than two full days after it went missing!!
St. Anthony is believed to be the patron saint of lost articles and it is no surprise that people of all faiths make their way to this quaint church to make such seemingly impossible petitions. His powerful intercession ensures the flow of God’s mercy, many of the faithful feel. Offerings made to the saint range from candles to flowers and even coconuts.
The small church is packed on Tuesdays, the day being designated for offering novenas. Others don saffron robes as a sign of repentance. For many, the attachment to the shrine may be emotional while for others their visits are religiously regular. This following dates back to the mid 19th century though.
The Queen’s Own Sappers and Miners Regiment was stationed nearby. Since the barracks were built in lines, the area came to be known as Sappers Lines. A chapel was first constructed in the year 1891, in which was installed a wooden statue of the saint brought from Dhornahalli in Mysore.
Built with mud, bricks and country tiles, the chapel came close to collapsing, assaulted repeatedly by the vagaries of nature, especially during the monsoon of 1988. The edifice was entrusted to the care of priests from the Pallottine order, who had the old chapel renovated.
With the patronage of its parishioners, whose numbers were mushrooming, it regained much of its old glory. Last year, thetastefully designed grotto was constructed by Fr. John Antony. Adorning it were statues of Our Lady of Velankanni and St. Joseph, the patron of the diocese.
Come June 13, the feast of St. Anthony is celebrated the world over. The new parish priest, Fr. Bhaskar Rao Gangolu, will have his hands full, what with hordes of pilgrims thronging the shrine. He hopes to record the blessings, miracles and wonders experienced by the faithful, so that more people may enjoy peace and joy through this pious saint.
The celebration of the feast is however peculiar to this parish. The flag hoisting is slated for June 26 and a novena is offered everyday until it culminates on July 1. For those interested in attending the services, Fr. Bhaskar has more details on 27903366 or 9440824252.
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