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
