St Anthony’s Shrine in Pune Camp is 75 yrs old
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- CAMIL PARKHE
Thursday, 6 June 2013 - 11:57 PM IST
Sakal times, Pune
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Pune: Established by a devout couple as a private place of worship, St Anthony's Shrine in Pune Camp has completed 75 years.The diamond jubilee celebrations of the shrine, now elevated as a Pune diocesan shrine, will conclude with a mass to be celebrated by Bishop Thomas Dabre on St Anthony's feast on June 13.
St Anthony's chapel was elevated to the status of diocesan shrine by Bishop Dabre in November 2011. It is the only recognised shrine in Pune Catholic diocese.
The shrine's director Fr Anthony Paul told Sakal Times said that a place of worship is accorded the status of a shrine after taking into account the devotion of the faithful and the charitable activities undertaken at the religious place.
The shrine located on St Vincent Street was built by Henry Williams and his wife Constance at their bungalow in 1938. Williams, an accounts officer in the controllerate of defence accounts, had found a statue of St Anthony of Padua while digging for the construction of his bungalow. The couple built a shrine in honour of St Anthony and the devotion to the saint. Prior to her death, Constance had handed over the shrine to Pune diocese.
The number of faithfuls visiting the shrine is highest on Tuesday, the day of the saint. The shrine volunteers also distribute weekly rations and clothes to 70 adopted families on this day.
Pune Diocese has now undertaken construction of a spacious shrine at the site.
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