The two-day annual feast of St. Anthony’s Church in Kachchativu was held on Saturday.The annual festival was attended by a large number of devotees from both India and Sri Lanka.
The Navy said that the proceedings of the event had been organised, under the guidance of District Secretary of Jaffna, A Sivabalasundaram, and with the help of the Navy Christian Council.
The main mass of the church festival was conducted by the Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Colombo, Rt. Rev. Anton Ranjith Pillenayagam.
On behalf of the Commander of the Navy, Vice Admiral Priyantha Perera, the main mass was attended by the Commander Northern Naval Area, Rear Admiral Aruna Tennekoon.The new church of Kachchativu was built by the Navy.
The Northern Naval Command worked in coordination with the Jaffna District Secretariat and the Delft Divisional Secretariat to provide food and water, sanitary facilities, medical care and shelter to the devotees.
Local and foreign guests, former Commander of the Navy and Chief of Defense Staff, Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne (Retd), religious dignitaries from India and Sri Lanka, state officials, devotees, local and foreign media reporters, officers from the Navy Christian Council, senior officers from the tri-services and Police were also present on this occasion.