Mangalore:Christians across India celebrated the birthday of Mary, mother of Jesus Christ, with religious fervor today.

For the people in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi and Kasargod, living in the coastal districts, September 8 has a special significance as the day is also celebrated as the day of the ‘New Corn or harvest’.

The occasion is also marked by thanksgiving mass for the blessing of a good harvest.

As a preparation to the feast, children bring flowers arranged in trays, and baskets to their respective churches and offer them to Mother Mary on the nine days preceding the feast. 

Most of the parishes had arranged distribution of sugarcane to children who had brought flowers to offer to Mary while a few distributed sweets.

As a part of celebrations, parishioners donated rice, vegetables and coconuts among other things and the same was distributed to the poor in the parish besides to old age homes and orphanages.

The first corn from the field is brought to the Altar in a procession and was blessed by the priest. The offertory procession included the statue of Mother Mary, sugarcane, vegetables, flowers, fruits and bread. 

The blessed ears of paddy corn and sugarcanes are then taken home by the people. 

Traditionally, the feast was celebrated as a family feast with a ceremonial lunch in which only vegetarian food is served.

In the past, up to 13 varieties of vegetarian dishes (usually only odd numbers) were prepared. However, now majority of the families limit it to five to seven. Catholics also avoid meat and alcohol on the day. 

The day is also an occasion for all the family members to unite. It is a practice that if any member of the family cannot attend the celebrations, then the ear of paddy corn will be sent to them by post where ever they live.

As per the tradition, after de-husking the corn blessed in the church, it is powdered and mixed with a dish made out of coconut milk and rice batter, and is partaken along with the lunch. 

In the Mother of Sorrows Church in Udupi, the liturgical service of feast began at 7.15 am. As the hymn on Mother Mary was sung, children showered flowers at Mother Mary brought especially for the occasion.