Dr Jeanette Pinto –
Karkala, a town in Udipi district Karnataka, boasts a rich history spanning centuries, particularly known for its Jain Heritage and the iconic Gomasteshwara statue. Originally it was called “Pandya Nagari” during the Jain rule, and later Karikalllu meaning black stone and finally Karkala. Here, there is the historic Roman Catholic Church which has been a spiritual haven since its establishment in 1759. The beautiful Basilica is dedicated to Saint Lawrence, renowned for miraculous powers and interfaith appeal attracting devotees from all walks of life.
Lawrence was born in a noble family from Aragon in Spain. His parents were pious and had embraced Christianity. Fondly called Lorenzo, he grew up in Saragossa where he was very well educated and considered a good example for other children. He was smart and became one of the best students in school. Everyone believed that this child was special and close to holiness. In fact, this led the local Bishop to involve and encourage him to become a priest. The vocation to priesthood grew strong and deep in Lawrence, especially when he met Sixtus.
Sixtus, who later became a Pope, was a Greek philosopher and already archdeacon in Rome, when he visited Spain because of work connected with the Church. He quickly became a great friend of Lawrence and invited him to join in church work and offered to take him to Rome. Lawrence quickly accepted the offer of Sixtus. Thus, Lawrence left his country to continue his studies and his duties as a priest and to work among Christians. During their long journey to Rome, they came across pagans in Genoa where they succeeded in converting many of the locals to Christianity. There is a myth that says that when Lawrence arrived in Rome, the pagan gods were shaken due to his enthusiasm.
Immediately after his election, Pope Sixtus II entrusted him with the care of the archdiocese. As the deacon responsible for charitable activities in the diocese of Rome, Lawrence administered and catered to the needs of orphans, widows, and the poor generally. He was also given an assignment to be “Guardian of the Church Treasures.”
His life journey unfortunately was shaken in his youth by the drama of Christian persecution. In 258 AD Emperor Valerian issued an edict: “all bishops, priests and deacons must be put to death.” Saint Lawrence, other deacons, and Pope Sixtus II were apprehended. The Pope was killed on 6 August. Thereafter the emperor offered to spare Lawrence’s life, in exchange for his handing over of “the treasures of the Church.” This was a great challenge and temptation. But Lawrence was clear in his mind. What he did is amazing. He collected and got together the sick, the needy, and the marginalized peoples and presented them to the emperor saying, “These are the treasures of the Church.” This angered the emperor and four days later, on August 10, Saint Lawrence was martyred.
The story goes that his executioners built a slow fire beneath a large gridiron, then had Lawrence stripped naked and bound to the grill. Just before he died, it is said that St. Lawrence called his executioners and said, “Turn me over. I am done on this side” truly incredible! Saint Lawrence was laid in a tomb on the Via Tiburtina. In this place, Emperor Constantine later erected a basilica that was restored in the 20th century after damage caused during WWII by the US bombing of Rome on July 19, 1943. St. Lawrence is the patron of deacons, chefs, and firefighters.
Jacques Cartier, seeking the Northwest Passage to the East Indies, discovered the St. Lawrence River in 1534. He named it to honor the saint on whose feast day he arrived at the entrance. The St. Lawrence River connects the Great Lakes to the North Atlantic Ocean up the Gulf of St. Lawrence and crosses Ontario, Quebec, and the U.S. state of New York.
Closer home, when the church of St Lawrence was too old to be used, some Christians prayed to him to guide them to raise a church in his honour. Accompanied by a Goan priest, and carrying with them a one-foot wooden statue of St Lawrence, they scanned the landscape on foot. Descending the woods of Parpale hills they reached Attur and saw a spring at the bottom of the hill. Tired and thirsty they placed the statue of the Saint on the ground and quenched their thirst.
On resuming the journey, to their great surprise the statue remained firmly rooted. Then the priest decided to build the church there and stooped down to lift the statue. It easily detached from the ground. It was at that very spot in Karkala, that they erected the St Lawrence church in the year 1839. It features Gothic architecture with spires, twin gates, well-maintained lawns, and a pond, believed to possess miraculous healing powers. It is a popular pilgrimage site renowned for its miraculous history and the annual Attur Festival attracting devotees and believers from various faiths.