For the 21st consecutive year the Sri Lankan Catholic migrants living in Italy gathered at the Basilica of St. Anthony of Padua on 01 May 2018 for thanks giving to St. Anthony. Around 15,000 Sri Lankans in Italy attended the Festive High Mass.
The annual rally was held under the guidance of Rev. Monsignor Neville Joe Perera, National Coordinator to the Sri Lankan Catholic migrants in Italy in collaboration with the Chaplain Priests. The Sri Lanka Ambassador in Italy Daya Pelpola and the Consul General in Milan Pradeepa Saram attended the event as special guests.
The Festive High Mass was presided over by His Lordship Bishop Harold Anthony Perera, Bishop of the Diocese of Kurunegala and the Bishop in-charge of the Migrant Catholics overseas. The Chaplain Priests and Sri Lankan Student Priests in Italy were also present. The Holy Mass was followed by the procession and the blessing with relic of St. Anthony of Padua.
Addressing the congregation, Rev. Monsignor Neville Joe Perera, extended gratitude to the Catholic Bishop’s Conference of Sri Lanka particularly to His Eminence Malcolm Cardinal Ranjith, Archbishop of Colombo, a pioneer of this national rally and to all those who supported and participated in the event.
The rally was organized by the Chaplain of Milan, Rev. Fr. Claude Wanasinghe and Rev. Fr. Sanjeewa Perera with the support of the Sri Lankan catholic community in Milan. The next year rally would be organized by the Sri Lankan Catholics in Modena and Bologna.
The Sri Lankan Catholics living in Italy gather at Padua every year on 01 May to celebrate a solemn Eucharist of thanks giving to St. Anthony in honour of the favours they received through his intercession.
04 May 2018
