Latest news with #StAnne
The Sun
3 days ago
- General
- The Sun
Over 10,000 Catholics join St Anne feast night procession in Bukit Mertajam
BUKIT MERTAJAM: More than 10,000 Catholic devotees filled the grounds of the Minor Basilica of St Anne for the annual Feast of St Anne night procession, marking the pinnacle of a 10-day religious celebration. The event, the largest of its kind in Malaysia, saw participants gather from early evening for Mass before the candlelit procession began at 8.30pm. The procession featured a float carrying the statue of St Anne and her daughter Mary, with devotees walking alongside while holding candles. The 1.6 km route passed through Jalan Kulim, Jalan Kampung Baru, and Jalan Berjaya before returning to the church at 11pm. For many, the event was a time to fulfill vows and seek divine intervention. R Thivya Bharti, 32, attended with her family after her husband recovered from illness last year. 'We prayed for his health, and by God's grace, he was healed. Now we're here to give thanks and pray for another child,' she said. Diana Blomindas, 29, from Ipoh, noted the celebrations were livelier this year, with more stalls and visitors. She recalled attending since childhood and came this year to pray for her mother's healing from knee pain. Valentina Kaur, 28, and her husband joined the procession to express gratitude after conceiving following years of prayers. 'I prayed for a child in March, and two months later, I was pregnant. Tonight, we give thanks and pray for a smooth pregnancy,' she shared. The feast, themed 'Celebrating, Listening and Walking as Pilgrims of Hope,' began on July 18 with nine days of Novena prayers. The Minor Basilica, built in the 1800s, is the first of its kind in Southeast Asia and was elevated to basilica status in 2019. - Bernama
Barnama
3 days ago
- General
- Barnama
Over 10,000 Catholics Attend Feast Of St Anne Night Procession
BUKIT MERTAJAM, July 26 (Bernama) -- Over 10,000 Catholics gathered at the Minor Basilica of Stn Anne here to mark the annual Feast of St Anne, the largest religious celebration of its kind in the country. The devotees had began gathering at the church grounds since early evening before Mass was held at 7 pm, followed by the procession featuring a float bearing the statue of St Anne and her daughter Mary, as the faithful thronged alongside, holding candles as they made their way out of Gate 3 at 8.30 pm. The annual procession, the highlight of the 10-day religious celebration that began on July 18, traversed the 1.6 kilometre route along Jalan Kulim, Jalan Kampung Baru and Jalan Berjaya before re-entering the church att Gate 1 at about 11 pm. R Thhivya Bharti, 32, who came with her husband Jevi Jensan, 32, and son J Ebenesh, eight, said they came to fulfill their vows after their prayers were answered. 'Last year my husband wasn't well so we came here to pray for his health and by the grace of God, he was healed. This year, we're here to fulfill our vows and pray for another child,' she shared. Factory supervisor, Diana Blomindas, 29, from Ipoh noted that this year's celebrations were more festive, with many stalls and even more visitors compared to previous years. She recounted how her parents had brought her here when she was a child and that they would never miss celebrating the Feast of St Anne every year, adding that she was here this year to pray that her mother, Lourdes Mary Jacob, 68, who suffers from knee pain and has difficulty walking, be healed. Meanwhile, gym owner, Valentina Kaur, 28, and her husband Tunping, 38, revealed that they attended the procession tonight to seek blessings and give thanks after their wish for a first child was finally fulfilled after four years. 'I prayed in March for a child this year and two months later my prayers were answered and I was confirmed pregnant, so tonight we are here to offer thanks and pray so that my pregnancy will go smoothly,' she said.
The Star
3 days ago
- General
- The Star
More than 25,000 devotees throng St Anne's Church in Penang for annual event
BUKIT MERTAJAM: More than 25,000 devotees gathered at St Anne's Church here on Saturday (July 26) to mark the annual St Anne's Novena and Feast, one of the largest Catholic celebrations in the country. The event drew pilgrims from across Malaysia and with many arriving days earlier to participate in the nine-day novena prayers leading up to the grand feast day. Church grounds were packed with worshippers attending masses, processions, and candlelight vigils held throughout the day. The celebration, steeped in tradition, commemorates Saint Anne, the mother of the Virgin Mary, and has been a major religious and tourism event in Penang for decades. Devotees from all walks of life were seen walking with decorated floats bearing the statues of St Anne and her daughter, the Blessed Virgin Mary, that was taken on a 1.6km journey outside the church in Jalan Kulim. Many were also seen walking with lit candles during the procession. Earlier, the open air mass began at about 7pm and was presided by the Catholic Bishop of Penang, Cardinal Datuk Seri Sebastian Francis, alongside other clergy and religious leaders. After the mass, the devotees with other priests and deacons followed by the pilgrims walked around the nearby Kampung Baru area and back to the church. The procession which began at about 8.30pm where the float was pulled was pulled by a four-wheel-drive vehicle. Latin Gregorian chants echoed through the public address system as pilgrims recited the rosary and offered prayers during the procession. Rev Deacon Lazarus Jonathan said the feast is celebrated by Catholics to honour Jesus Christ's maternal grandmother, St Anne. He said that with the theme "Celebrating, Listening and Walking as Pilgrims of Hope", this year's celebration focuses on compassion, unity and encouragement in times of hardship. The 10-day celebration will end Sunday (July 27).
The Star
7 days ago
- General
- The Star
St Anne's feast expects global crowd this weekend
Holy days: Devotees offering floral garlands and prayers before the statue of St Anne and the Virgin Mary inside the Minor Basilica of St Anne in Bukit Mertajam. — ZHAFARAN NASIB/The Star BUKIT MERTAJAM: St Anne's feast celebration is underway, with the highlight being the main celebration featuring novena, open-air mass and a candlelight procession this Saturday. Some 100,000 pilgrims from the country and abroad are expected at the Minor Basilica of St Anne, with the weekend likely drawing the largest crowd of the 10-day celebration ending on Sunday. Rev Deacon Lazarus Jonathan said besides Malaysians, pilgrims from China, India and other South-East Asian countries would also be attending the annual feast. 'This year, the main celebration falls on a weekend, so we anticipate a significantly larger turnout. 'The open-air mass and procession, acts of reverence to St Anne, the grandmother of Jesus, form the spiritual centrepiece of the celebration. 'It will be held within the church compound and is expected to be presided by the Catholic Bishop of Penang, Cardinal Datuk Seri Sebastian Francis, alongside other clergy and religious leaders. 'The mass will begin at 7pm, in multiple languages, followed by the procession at 8.30pm. 'We pray that all pilgrims, whether they travel from near or far, arrive and return home safely, blessed and uplifted,' said Deacon Lazarus, adding that the masses will be conducted in English, Bahasa Malaysia, Mandarin and Tamil to ensure inclusivity for the diverse congregation. Themed 'Celebrating, Listening and Walking as Pilgrims of Hope,' this year's celebration focuses on compassion, unity and encouragement in times of hardship. He said the chosen theme reflects the church's commitment to walk alongside all people – regardless of race or religion – on their journey of faith, struggle and joy. 'We want to listen, not just speak. We want to hear the hardships people face, console them and offer hope.' He stressed that this year's prayers would be offered not only for the Christian community but for all people. 'The message of hope is universal. The Mother of Jesus and St Anne are praying for everyone.' He added that St Anne is traditionally associated with family and stability, and this year's pilgrimage places strong emphasis on the role of the family in building a peaceful and joyful society. 'When families are strong, the nation is stable and the world becomes a better place.'
Glasgow Times
02-07-2025
- General
- Glasgow Times
How St Mary and St Anne's became Glasgow's Tron Church
This led to a church being established at the south side of the street of St Teneu or St Enoch, to bear the name of Mary of Loretto and of St Anne, her mother. With the consent of the patrons, one of the chaplainries of the church of St Roche's was, in about, incorporated with the Collegiate Church of St Mary and St Anne. John Bell Minister of the Laigh Church Glasgow Museums (Image: Supplied) The Chaplain of St Roche was appointed a canon of that church, subject to the obligation to say mass and other offices in St Roche's Chapel for the souls of its founder. The Cathedral and the Collegiate Church of St Mary and St Ann both maintained choirs in pre-Reformation Glasgow. The Cathedral choir will have sung daily at Mass and each of the eight regular prayer times for the Divine Office. Boys in both choirs studied at the Sang School. (Image: Supplied) The Collegiate Church of St Mary and St Ann had an organist who directed the choir and taught the three boy choristers who studied in the Sang School where they learned how to sing plainchant and polyphony, how to sing improvised harmonies, and play the organ. The boys were removed from their post when their voices broke, but there was provision for them to continue their education at the Grammar School for another two years. After the Reformation, the church with its cemetery in the Trongate, fell into a ruinous state. (Image: Supplied) It was sold by the council in 1570 and reacquired by them around 1592. They had it repaired to be used as a Church of Scotland. The church, which for more than a quarter of a century after the Reformation had been in a poor state, was repaired by the town and was used as a place of worship under the name of the Tron or New Kirk, sometimes known as Laigh Church. They then needed to find the means of supporting a minister. The old revenues of the church had been given to the magistrates of the city by Queen Mary's Act of 1566-7 to be used to fund for poor scholars at the college. (Image: Supplied) There were allegations that these bursaries had been improperly applied to the support of the richest men's sons. An Act of Parliament was therefore obtained in 1594, cancelled the bursaries, and instead devoted the revenues "to the sustentation of the ministry within the city of Glasgow". The bell house of the old church seems to have been occupied till the alterations were made, as in 1593 a tenant was allowed a reduction of half a year's rent "in respect the steeple was taken down". In 1594, the Scottish Parliament passed an act in favour of the ministry of Glasgow, referring to a gift which, after the Reformation, had been made to the magistrates of the city of the chaplaincies and emoluments of the "New Kirk of the College of Glasgow," meaning apparently the Collegiate Church of St Mary and St Ann. A little over 10 years later, the Tron Church was repaired and restored as a Protestant place of worship and a fourth minister was introduced to the city. In 1599, the ministers applied to the Town Council to ask that the town be divided into two separate parishes to allow each minister to know their flock. The city agreed to this on the understanding that the citizens should not be burdened with the building of more kirks or the support of more ministers than already existed. The Tron was as a result separated from the High Kirk. Additions were later made to the church, and the steeple which formed such a conspicuous spot in Trongate was built in 1637/8. In 1793, the old Church was destroyed by fire, and the Tron or St Mary's Church was built on the same site.
