DVD marks 150th year of Our Lady of Perpetual Succour icon

The Archbishop of Mumbai, Cardinal Oswald Gracias on Monday released a DVD on Our Lady of Perpetual Succour (OLPS) at the Feast Day mass at St. Michael's Church, Mahim.

The DVD release is part of global celebrations on Monday of the 150th anniversary of the icon of OLPS at a church in Rome, a replica of which is kept in the Mahim church in Mumbai.

"This is one of the greatest Feast of Our Mother Mary, who is a Mother of Mercy. We should learn to be like her and show mercy and compassion to others, especially the weak, poor and disadvantaged," Cardinal Gracias said on the occasion.

Referring to the famous novena prayers conducted at the Mahim Church in which people from all faiths participate every Wednesday, Cardinal Gracias said as a Mahim boy, he came to the church in moments of important decisions and experienced help from Mother Mary.

The St. Michael's Church parish priest Fr. Simon Borges said one of the parishioners offered to prepare the DD in two parts, including one on the history of devotion to OLPS and the second on the Mahim Church and the novena prayers dedicated to her.

It has been released simultaneously in English, Hindi, Marathi, Konkani and Tamil languages.

The Mahim Church is also promoting the new renovated icon of OLPS which is over 500 years old, and was renovated in 1990.

Believed to have originated between 1325-1480 in Rome, the icon was stolen by a merchant and subsequently returned to Rome where it was first venerated by the public in 1499, and remained there for three centuries.

Later, in 1866, Pope Pius IX -- who had seen and prayed before the icon as a young boy -- entrusted it to the Church of St. Alphonsus, ordered its public display and veneration at the church.

It remain there since the past 150 years and attracts millions of pilgrims and tourists from all over the world.

Since then, the feast of OLPS is celebrated on June 27 each year and the novena prayers are held every Wednesday.

--IANS

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