In 1510, the
Portuguese conquered Goa and founded their empire I India. In 1526, some Franciscan priests entered canara
and founded three churches around Mangalore.
Lady of Rosary at Bolar, Lady of Mercy at Ullal and St. Francis of
Assisi at Farangipet. The last name
means foreigners town {Farangi +pet} land of foreigners. Because it was a
Portuguese trade outpost.
Hyder Ali
conquered the Bednore kingdom in 1763 when Fr. Joachim Miranda was the parish
priest at Farangipet. Hyder Ali sought
his favour and asked for his prayers for the success of his military campaigns
and also made votive offerings in Monte Mariano church. His soldiers use to
light candles at the foot of mother Mary so that they may win the wars.
However, for
his Tippu sultan, Fr. Joachim Miranda was a problem. He was aware that the priest and Hyder Ali
were good friends. Tippu began showing
respect for the priest but was determined to capture Catholics and hold them
captive in Srirangapatnam. Tippu sought
from FR. Miranda information about the British General, Mathew. He refused it give information. Incidentally,
while Tippu destroyed all churches in canara, when Tippu’s horsemen arrived to
plunder the Monte Mariano monastery, it is known that Fr. Miranda showed the
copper plate given by Hyder Ali, authorizing the rights of land for
worship. Hence, the soldier’s spared the
monastery from plundering. And also his father’s friendship with Fr. Joachim
Miranda.
The Novices are ten...7 from Karnataka Province an d 3 from KristJyoti province.
The nativity
of our Lady or the birthday of our beloved mother Mary also called as monthi
fest by Mangalorean catholic community is also celebrated as a harvest festival
like onam of Kerala, pongal of Andra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. As per the local history Monthi fest has its
origin in Farangipet in the outskirts of Mangalore. Here Fr. Miranda a Goan priest who lived
around 300 years ago, started this practice on top of a hill, on the northern
bank of the Nethravathi River where lies an ancient place called Monte Mariano.
It is also
known as Mount of Mary. Oral history
goes to state that the nativity festival of our Lady was first celebrated at
Monte Mariano to coincide with the annual feast of the church. The term monthi has been derived from the
word Monte and over the years has been modified to be known as monthi fest.
The sources
including the other religion neighbours say that the Monthi fest took birth in
Farangipet. It is one of the three
designated major feasts of Mangalore Diocese.
The others being the feasts of St. Lawrence at karkala and lady of
Pompei at Urva. Until a few decades ago,
monthi fest was celebrated on a grand scale at Monte Mariano, with surrounding
parishes too participating. A large
number of devotees from Mangalore, including tile manufacturers and coffee
planters, footed it out to Farangipet for the feast.
Catholics in
Tulu Nadu, set to celebrate Monthi Fest on September 8, know it is the day of
the Nativity feast the birth of Mary, mother of Jesus. But, hardly anyone stops to think why it is
called monthi fest. Some research and
inquires with people who should know leads to the conclusion that Monthi fest
originated at Farangipet about 300 years ago.
It was started in the month of September
because in that month the other religion brethren celebrated their Ganapathi
Habba-feast. It uses to last for 9
days. All these 9 days they were not
eating meat or fish, but only vegetarian.
So Fr. Joachim Miranda strictly followed 9 days novena to be held in
honour of Nativity feast. This was followed even lately in our houses. After blessing the new corn when it is
brought to the house our parents were not keeping any kind of non-veg.
Farangipet is
home to an ancient catholic outpost who, at various times, has been, and still
is, a church, friary, monastery and seminary.
The official name of the place is Monte mariano- Mount of Mary. The monthi fest derives its name, from
Monte. It was here that a Goan priest,
Fr. Joachim Miranda, started this annual new corn feast. But, Catholics generally are unfamiliar with
the Monte Mariano name and call the place Coventh (convent). They cannot be faulted because even the RTC,
based on ancient land records, notes the owner of the plot as Montu Mary Coventu
Devaru. One thing is all the ancient
lands which are under the church or temple the owner is God, Devaru.
Fr. Joachim
Miranda built a St. Joseph’s seminary at Farangipet which was later shifted to
St. Antony’s Ashram Jeppu and then the present place where the Seminary exits.
The mother
Mary’s statue which is now erected at the entrance of the main gate was somewhere
on the hill near the church. In 1945 it
was shifted near the main gate.
This Monte Mariano
also known as the second cradle of capuchins in India since it housed the only Novitiate
of whole of India till 1967.
The monastery
is located on the bank of the River Nethravathi high on a cliff. The breath-taking view of mighty river at the
background with lush greenery on the hillock close to monastery transpires one
to leap into spiritual mode. The monastery
being thronged by devotees as far away from neighbouring taluks of Bantwal,
Putur, Vittal, Bellore, Sullia and Mangalore
to offer prayers.
This Friary
is nearly 10kms away from Mangalore on national highway 48 is also known for
its famous Sant mari-Coventheche Vodlen Fest.
It is actually the feast of the patron saint- Francis of Assisi. There is a wooden carved statue of St.
Francis of Assisi which was brought by the Portuguese. 480 years old. No where
can we see a statue of St. Francis of Assisi holding a cross and a Bible in his
hand indicating a missionary and proclaiming Christ. It is a miracle statue. Many faithful including other religion
brothers and sisters pay their homage and ask for favours.
When the
capuchins began their Novitiate in 1930 they began the practice of celebrating
the feast on the first Thursday after the October 4th, the feast day
of St. Francis of Assisi. THEY CELEBRATE
IT ON THURSDAY, SINCE THE
MONASTERY’S RULE RESTRICTED
THEM FROM EATING MEAT ON WEDNESDAYS. OTHER THAN THIS THERE WAS NO
OTHER REASON WHY IT WAS CELEBRATED ON A THURSDAY. Hence, the feast which gives a start to the Voddelm
fest season in the entire Mangalore diocese is known as ‘Coventhachem
Fest-feast of the Friary. One of the
special features of this feast is that beggars from all over who come to the
friary on the festal day were fed in the afternoon.
With the
passing of years the devotees for the ‘’Coventhachem Fest’’ became less and
less. It was traditionally celebrated on
Thursday. But Thursday was not a
holiday. The other reason could be there
are fewer children in families and the elders go for work. So there was no opportunity to participate in
the feast. Hence, when all people take part, the young, the old and the
children there is much joy and celebration.
Taking into
consideration all these reasons of common people’s life, the present superior {who spent 16 years among the poorest
of the poor in Raichur District of Bellary Diocese} and the community took the
bold decision with the consultation of deanery priests of shifting this
historical feast from Thursday to the first Sunday of October.
The reason is that today there are classes on
Thursday and the elders go for work.
Thus they are unable to attend mass on the feast day. As a result the present as well as the future
generation will not know the history about the celebration of the feast of ‘’Farangipet
Coventh’’. To make it more convenient to
all the elders as well as children the celebration of the feat is shifted to
Sunday. Meals are served to all who take
part in the festal celebration.
On Sunday’s
people from Omzoor, Merlapadav, Bantwal, Bellore, Fajir, Padil, Mogarnad and
Loreto participate in the Holy Eucharist in our chapel. There is a deep love and veneration for our
friary which has come down from our forefathers.
The
celebration of the ‘’Montifest’’ started in our Friary in the month of
September because the feast of Ganapathi was celebrated by our Hindu brethren
in that month. It lasted for 9
days. On all these 9 days they ate
neither meat nor fish but only vegetable.
Fr. Joachim Miranda began 9 days of Novena in honour of the Nativity of Mary. This was followed lately in our houses. The blessed new corn that is brought to
houses is consumed by the family members.
There were no non-veg dishes on that day.
The statue of
Infant Mary which is preserved in our chapel has an interesting history. It is from Italy. It was brought by a family in Nelyadi. They wanted to donate it to a Church. Meanwhile they were told by some Mangalorean
family that the feast of the Nativity took birth in Monte Mariano
Farangipet. And one fine day with the
whole family they visited here donated the statue to us.
Sunrise at Netravathi River....flowing down.....our Noviciate is on the bank of the river,,,,,
There is a
wooden carved statue of St. Francis of Assisi brought by the Portuguese and it
is 480 years old. Nowhere one can see a
statue of St. Francis holding a cross and the Bible in his hand. This shows the missionary life of Francis proclaiming
Christ. It is a miracle statue. Many people including people of other religions
pay their homage to St. Francis and ask for favours.
There is a
Commerce School which caters to the need of poor dropout girls in tailoring and
Provide computer education too. We have begun a play home too.
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