By Fr Nathaneal George for BIS Mumbai

Ahilyanagar, October 4, 2026: St Anne’s Church, Ahilyanagar, commenced the year-long preparations for the 50th anniversary of the Yatra, which began in 1976. The inaugural celebrations were held on Sunday with the participation of parishioners, priests, the Yatra Committee and children of the parish.

 The celebrations began with the Holy Eucharist, attended by a large number of parishioners. The Mass also marked the formal inauguration of the 50-day countdown to the golden jubilee celebration of the Yatra. The celebration began with the blessing and inaugural procession of the statue of Our Lady. The statue was carried in procession around the parish campus and placed at the designated site for the Yatra. In his homily, Fr McEnroe, the parish priest, reflected on the meaning of the journey of faith and invited the faithful to imitate Mary, particularly her words at Cana: “Do whatever he tells you.” He reminded the parish community that the Yatra is not merely an external journey but an invitation to journey with Christ by listening to and responding to His word. As part of the inauguration, 50 golden balloons were released to commemorate the 50th anniversary. The gesture symbolised the joy and hope associated with the golden jubilee and the beginning of the preparations for the celebrations.

 Following the procession, the members of the Yatra Committee, the principal organising body of the annual pilgrimage, placed candles before the statue of Our Lady while, the children of the parish then offered 50 flowers, representing the 50 years of the Yatra. After the prayer service, candles and flowers were placed before the statue and the palki, further marking the beginning of the jubilee preparations.

 The inaugural celebrations continued with an environmental initiative at Bosco Gramin Vikas Kendra. Interested parishioners, members of the Yatra Committee and the priests responsible for the Yatra travelled to the centre to plant 50 saplings sponsored by the parish. Around 60 people participated in the tree-planting programme.

 The environmental initiative reflected the Church’s call to care for creation and to recognise the responsibility of every person to be a steward of the earth. The programme also provided an opportunity for the participants to engage directly with the soil and nature, making the celebration a practical expression of gratitude for God’s creation.

 The inauguration thus brought together faith, tradition, community and care for creation, setting the tone for the forthcoming golden jubilee celebrations. The 50th anniversary of the Yatra will be marked through a series of spiritual, pastoral, social and community-oriented initiatives leading up to the main celebration.

 The inaugural programme marked the first of several events planned in preparation for the 50th anniversary of the Yatra, providing the parish community with an opportunity to remember its spiritual journey, celebrate its heritage and renew its commitment to Christ and to the mission entrusted to it.