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Indian, Lankan pilgrims unite at St Anthony’s feast in Kachchativu
View(s):By S Rubatheesan from Kachchativu Island
Over 9,000 Catholic faithfuls across the Indo-Lanka Palk Straits gathered at the uninhabited island of Kachchativu on Friday (14) and Saturday (15) to mark the annual feast of St Anthony – the guardian of fisherfolk communities across the strait.
Since Friday, hundreds of Indian and Lankan devotees arrived on the island in fishing boats to attend the annual mass.
Bishop of Sivagangai Diocese Lourdu Anandam of Southern India led the mass – this is the first time a Bishop from India attended the feast along with over hundred clergy.
Last year, Indian fishermen boycotted the festival over what they claimed was ‘arbitrary arrests and prosecution of Indian fishermen and seizing of Indian bottom trawlers’ which were auctioned after a legal process.
During his sermon, Bishop Anandam noted the historical role the island played between the fisherfolk communities of the two countries.
From Sivagangai District of Tamil Nadu, at least 4,000 devotees and clergy took part in the feast this year.
“Though this feast is conducted once every year with the participation of two fisherfolk communities, it is something the communities remember and recall the blessings of St Anthony throughout the year,” Bishop Anandam said.
Bishop Anandam, who is already in Jaffna following an invitation extended by the Jaffna Diocese, visited four dioceses in the country including Jaffna, Batticaloa, Mannar and Trincomalee as part of his visit.
St Anthony’s feast is organised by the Jaffna Diocese with the support of the Sri Lanka Navy and the District Secretariat.
Joining the South Indian Bishop was the Vicar General of Jaffna Diocese Rev Fr P J Jebaratnam who co-led the mass prayers and feast on Saturday.
“People come from very far away places to the shrine of St Anthony to receive his blessings. This is not a carnival event. We urge people to join the feast of St Anthony in the name of unity and engage in prayers that would help us to move forward,” Fr Jebaratnam said.
Earlier, Jaffna District Secretary M Piratheepan said final preparations are underway in coordination with the Sri Lanka Navy to mark the annual feast of St Anthony with the participation of Catholic devotees from the two countries.
Despite the ongoing fishing conflict between the two fishing communities, the Catholic faith united them to pray together on the premises of St Anthony’s Church.
Minister of Fisheries and Aquatic Services Ramalingam Chandrasekar said that the only thing Indian fishermen can do to resolve this issue is to stop entering Sri Lanka’s territorial waters for bottom trawling activities.
“As a sovereign nation, we will take actions against those who violate them as per the law in our books,” the minister said.
When asked if he believes a solution would be reached during his tenure, he replied: “I hope and I prayed that would happen.”
Rameshwaram Mechanized Fishermen Union leader A Sesuraja who took part in the event, reiterated that both parties will have to work together to find a lasting solution for ethnic conflict.
Both fishermen groups informally engaged with each other as they prayed together.
Sri Lanka’s northern fishermen repeatedly claimed that Indian fishermen engaged in destructive bottom trawling practice in Lankan territorial waters in the North at the expense of their livelihood.
A Annarasa, a fishermen leader from Velanai, Jaffna said that if the Indian fishermen genuinely care about the Lankan fishermen, they should avoid poaching in Lankan waters and drop the bottom trawling practice which threatens marine resources and equilibrium.
As usual, the Navy had undertaken necessary plans including setting up temporary shelters, providing meals and drinking water facilities for the island. Navy crafts and vessels were deployed to transport devotees from the main island and essential supplies to the island from the mainland following instructions from Navy Commander Vice Admiral Kanchana Banagoda.
Navy Commander Banagoda and senior officials of Northern Navy Command were among the chief guests along with minister Chandrasekar, Jaffna District MP Rajeevan Jeyachandramoorthy, District Secretary Piratheepan and Indian Consulate General in Jaffna Sai Murali.
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