The 63rd Birthday of His Holiness The Apostle Rohan Lalith Aponso was fell on 2nd of February 2020. His Holiness The Apostle was born on 1st of February 1957, precisely at 12 midnight by touching this earth.
Since many years, Holy Apostle’s followers gathered at Our Lady of Katunayake’s Shrine from many places to spend the midnight, the meritorious night of the Holy Apostle’s Birth. His Holiness the Apostle even today, is living at Our Lady of Katunayake’s Shrine, in Sri Lanka. This glorious midnight is lit up with so many novel things coming together every year, and it must be mentioned that this glorious midnight is a symbol of a colourful little Christmas.
The midnight of 1st February 2020 became a little Christmas to Our Lady of Katunayake’s Shrine. Notwithstanding the midnight and despite the inconvenience of traveling in the midnight, the mothers, who were carrying infants in their arms, and devotees, who are older than Holy Apostle, gathered in the Shrine ground of Our Lady of Katunayake’s Shrine, not by any force of anyone but due to the love they have in their hearts for His Holiness The Apostle Rohan Lalith Aponso. The reason for such affection is, it is the Holy Apostle, who was born to the world in the midnight of 1st February 63 years ago, taught them the Gospel and guided them and still guiding them on the virtuous path.
His Holiness The Apostle Rohan Lalith Aponso has lived as an “Apostle” for more than two-third of the 63 years He has lived in this world. The time when the Holy Apostle was born into this world is not an easy time for the people to reach Him, at 12 midnight, precisely at 12 midnight on 1st February.
This year, too, people began to draw from 10pm onwards to Our Lady of Katunayake’s Shrine where in the Holy Apostle is residing; who was born at 12 midnight when a day was ending and a new day was dawning.
When 12 midnight was getting closer, devotees began to light up oil lamps symbolizing the number ’63’ in front of the photograph of the Holy Apostle, established in the Shrine ground of Our Lady of Katunayake’s Shrine to commemorate the 63rd Birthday of His Holiness The Apostle Rohan Lalith Aponso. Subsequently, at 12 midnight, the precise time His Holiness The Apostle Rohan Lalith Aponso was born, devotees began praying in front of His photograph. They sang hymns of praise to Lord Jesus Christ and to Blessed Virgin Mary for giving such an Apostle. They also sang songs, composed by them on behalf of Holy Apostle Rohan Lalith Aponso, while playing musical instruments brought by them.
Leaving aside sleeping well at night in their homes, why did devotees come to Our Lady of Katunayake’s Shrine from faraway places and did this?…….People truly love His Holiness The Apostle Rohan Lalith Aponso without any religious differences. His Holiness The Apostle Rohan Lalith Aponso, also loves the people immensely and blesses them like a father, and guides them towards the right path. People have a deep respect for His Holiness The Apostle Rohan Lalith Aponso.
The Shrine ground of Our Lady of Katunayake’s Shrine was colourfully illuminated with various patterns of lights and, at the end, devotees cordially enjoyed themselves with milk-rice, cakes and various sweets brought by them. With the hope of returning to the birthday ceremony in the evening of February 2nd, they bid farewell, bowing in front of the photograph of their Spiritual Leader, who is guiding their lives.
These photos show devotees who gathered at Our Lady of Katunayake’s Shrine in the midnight of 1st February 2020 with immense love and devotion, commemorating the Birth of their Spiritual Leader His Holiness The Rohan Lalith Aponso, born 63 years ago
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