Celebrations at Mudipu to mark Joseph Vaz canonization

A three-day celebration would be held at the Mudipu miracle hills near here from January 14 in connection with the canonization of Blessed Joseph Vaz who is to be raised to the altar of sainthood by Pope Francis at a ceremony to be held in Sri Lanka where Vaz was a missionary.
Vaz , who is believed to have performed miracles in the Mudipu hills, 25 km from here, is the first saint from the coastal region to receive the honour.
Vaz was born in Goa in 1651 and died in 1711. A large number of pilgrims throng the Vaz shrine at Mudipu seeking blessings all through the year.

It was Pope John Paul II who proclaimed Vaz as Blessed Joseph at a ceremony held in Sri Lanka in 1995. He is also called as the 'Apostle of Sri Lanka' and 'Patron of Goa.'
Talking to reporters here last evening, Mangaluru Bishop Aloysius Paul D'Souza said the solemn celebrations at Mudipu would be inaugurated by Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on January 14.
The Bishop would conduct a festal mass in the morning. Vicar General of Mangaluru diocese Dennis Moras Prabhu and Archbishop of Bengaluru diocese Bernard Moras would celebrate the festal masses to be held on January 15 and 16, D'Souza said.

A votive offering procession would be held from Mudipu church to the Blessed Joseph Vaz shrine on January 11, he said.