Navy helps Lankan and Indian pilgrims in Kachchativu

by Ananth Palakidnar

The Sri Lanka Navy has made arrangements to accommodate five-thousand Sri Lankans and Indian pilgrims for St.Anthony’s feast at the Kachchativu Island in the Northern waters, Navy spokesman Capt Athula Senarath told the Sunday Observer.

Commenting on the Kachchativu festival Capt Senarath said that the feast which began yesterday will conclude today. “Three-thousand Indian pilgrims from Rameswaram are taking part in the feast.

They were escorted to the Kachchativu Island by the Lankan Naval vessels from the Indo-Lanka maritime border. The Indian pilgrims are attending the Kachchativu feast along with the Catholic clergy from South India for the first time in seven years.

Around one-thousand Sri Lankan pilgrims attending the feast are mainly from the Jaffna peninsula.

The Navy has made arrangements to provide the escorts for 22 Indian fishing trawlers and 12 Sri Lankan boats.

The Catholic church in Jaffna along with the parish in Delft coordinated with the Navy to look into the welfare of the pilgrims.

The pilgrims were requested to bring their food items. The Sri Lankan Navy has also made arrangements to provide fresh water and sanitation facilities for the pilgrims who gather at Kachchativu where apart from the small shrine of St.Anthony, there are, a few shady trees in the island,” Capt Senarath said.

The Kachchativu feast will conclude with Holy Communion today.

The pilgrims have been instructed to leave the island by twelve noon today, the Naval spokesman said.