Reading’s Goan community gathered together for a thanksgiving mass held on 12 September at Christ the King Church in Whitley to celebrate the annual feast of Our Lady of Vailankanni. A celebratory dinner was held after the mass, with people from all faiths invited to attend.

Vailankanni, also known as the Lourdes of the East, is a small town near Goa where the Blessed Mary Mother of Christ was sighted during the 16th century and credited with performing several miracles. The annual feast in Vailankanni is held in September and the nine days celebration draws millions of devotees, many of whom are not Christians but come to pay homage at the Shrine Basilica in Vailankanni.

Father Bruce Barnes, Pastor at Christ the King Church in Whitley, who conducted the mass said: “I am delighted to have taken part in this celebration, attended not just by the Goan community but many people from across Reading. The Feast of Vailankanni is a very important occasion in the Goan calendar and it is very good of Reading’s Goan community to share their rich cultural heritage with all of us.”

Nicholas Vales, a member of the event’s organising committee added: “The feast was a great success with around 300 people attending and we hope for an even better turnout next year. We are very happy for all the support we received from our friends in communities across Reading who attended the dinner. All our celebrations are always open to everyone, irrespective of their faith or community.”

Photo: Alok Sharma, Father Bruce Barnes, Nicholas Vales and other guests at the Vailankanni celebration.