Mumbai: Relics of three Dominican saints are touring India these days as part of yearlong commemoration the 800th anniversary of the order’s establishment.
Relics of Saints Dominic De Guzman, Vincent Ferrer and Catherine of Siena that had come from Rome spent August 15-17 in Mumbai, the western Indian metropolis.
On August 16, hundreds of Catholics gathered at St Catherine’s Convent near Arogya Nidhi hospital in Juhu where the bones of Saints Dominic and Vincent and a strand of hair of Catherine were displayed in a monstrance. They held hands while praying for the order that St Dominic founded and Pope Honorius III formally established in December 1216.
St Catherine is the patroness of Italy and is credited with the reunification of the papacy.
St Vincent was one of the most powerful preachers of in the 14th century.
Sr Mary Kochuveetil of St Catherine’s Convent told The Times of India that the relics are being displayed in 75 cities across India.
“Kerala, Mangalore and Goa have already had their turn while Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh are next on the itinerary,” she added.
The relics were taken to Gujarat on August 17.
Dominican Father George Kumblumoottil, a renowned preacher, came from Nagpur, central India, to conduct the Mumbai programs. “The Dominicans were the first Catholic group to be permitted to proclaim the gospel. Earlier only bishops could do so,” he explained.