Friday, September 08, 2006

The Nativity of Mary

Interesting background on the feast at EWTN.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Something unique to Mangalore - "Monthi Fest".

That's how Mangalorean (not Goan) Konkani Catholics know the feast of the nativity of Mary.

The special observances among Mangaloreans are the blessing of new corn (harvest), a completely vegetarian family meal with an odd number of dishes, the drinking of the milk having the blessed corn in it and the distribution of sugar cane for the children after the solemn Mass. For Mangaloreans the Nativity of BVM is a solemnity, not merely a feast.

The name "Monthi Fest" comes from the place where it was started about 240 years ago - Monte Mariano (Mount of Mary), at Farangipet, near Mangalore. "Fest" is Konkani for "Feast."

Interestingly the custom prevails only among Catholics of Mangalore, not Goan though both are Konkani speaking people. This is because the custom originated at Mangalore after the migration from Goa.

Fr. Gaurav Shroff said...

Most interesting! I know very little about Mangalorean customs (even though one of my best friends is Mangalorean. His family has been in Bombay for a while and he's grown up there so I guess that's why ... the Catholics in Bandra probably all tend to blend together. Oh dear, now I'll get into trouble with all my Mangy, East Indian and Goan friends ... :-)) ... Thanks for sharing that!