“The Universal Patron” and the “Leader of the Holy Family” is given due veneration in the Holy Catholic Church. The Saints and the Patriarchs, the Blessed Virgins, and Holy Women down the history took him as their model and followed him very closely to reach God.
Following their footprints, our parishioners, drawing inspiration from their forefathers and tradition of the devotion to the Holy Family at Elathagiri, have great faith and devotion to St. Joseph. Every common man and woman in our parish would say that St. Joseph is our Guardian from diseases and evils. A deep faith, they articulate in celebrating the feast of St. Joseph in the first week of the month of May. Although his feast falls in the month of March, our people have the tradition of celebrating it in the month of May because most of the people are working as laborers in Hosur and Bangalore.
The parish priest convenes the Parish Council, Finance Council, and Leaders of the Basic Christian communities and plans out for the wonderful and meaningful celebration. The responsibilities are shared by appointing different leaders for different tasks. Liturgy, choir, decorations, car procession, firecracker works, preparing an invitation for the event. Moreover, inviting priests and religious are important tasks to be considered.
Usually, the flag is hoisted on Wednesday in the first week and that is counted to be the first day of the novena to celebrate the parochial feast. Priests from different parishes are invited to celebrate the Holy Mass by breaking the Word of God. However, one day is given to the people to make the confession. Moreover, every day there will be a car procession around the church praying the Holy Rosary of St. Joseph. The people who attend the Liturgy would be supplied with food.
On the final day, the Local Bishop celebrates the Holy Eucharistic celebration. Throughout the day the candles are sold so that people would come as groups to pay homage to the Saint. The priests and religious of the vicariate are invited and they are honored. They are served rich and sumptuous meals in the presbytery in the evening.
In the evening a grand celebration will take place. The saint is brought in the beautifully decorated Car. The people offer him garlands, salt with pepper(to mark that they received what they prayed for, usually from sickness), candles, etc. the firecrackers are made to light the heavens to show his glorious heavenly grace. Drummers will lead the procession from the front and People sing Hymns with the Holy Rosary of St Joseph. At the end of the procession, the Parish Priest will make the people pray and give the final blessings.
