A SHORT HISTORY OF ST. ANTHONY’S SHRINE, METTUGUDA
St. Anthony’s Shrine at Mettuguda is in Secunderabad, Telangana State, India which is just 100 feet away from Mettuguda Metro station. Here is enshrined the miraculous statue of St. Anthony of Padua. Thousands of pilgrims from all over the twin cities and the districts of Telugu States flock the shrine throughout the year to pray for their needs
and thank God for the favors received. The shrine of St. Anthony had its humble beginnings. A group of Tamilians in the year 1925 installed a statue of St. Anthony of Padua and were praying Novena prayers regularly. Anthony’s Bhajan Society that worked under the under the guidance of Fr.Tinti Giuseppe PIME, then the priest in-charge of Sacred Heart Church Parish, Lallaguda took care of the prayers from 1928. The Bhajan Society known as “PunidhaAnthoniyarBhajanaiKoodam,” shifted their pious activities to Modi’s compound in 1950 Mr.M.K.Modie and Mr.W.S.Roberts were the instruments in encouraging the Bhajan Society to register a piece of land at Modie’s compound while nurturing the devotion and veneration of the Saint. Fr.Joseph D’souza, the Parish Priest of Lallaguda became the first Spiritual Director of the Society. A small Chapel was built on the said land and dedicated to St. Anthony of Padua which became very popular in the twin-cities and the devotees received abundant blessings from God. Mrs.Clara Peters donated the present Shrine land to build a church in honor of St.Anthony of Padua. Fr.B.Julian took over the reign of the Sacred Heart parish in 1972 and he undertook the construction of the new Church building at Mettuguda. On 24th of August 1975, Archbishop SamineniArulappa dedicated the new Church (at the present site) and the miraculous statue of St.Anthony was shifted from St.Anthony’s Chapel, Modie’s compound. On 24th August 1977, St.Anthony’s Shrine, Mettuguda was erected as an independent parish with Rev.Fr.Pancras Fernando as the first Parish Priest. The efforts of successive Parish Priests appointed at various intervals took keen interest in developing the Shrine regarding more space for worship and building the faith community. Responding to the need of the devotees for more space for the Liturgical activities, Archdiocese of Hyderabad started the expansion work to house more than 600 people for the Sacramental activities. ThummaBala, D.D., Archbishop of Hyderabad blessed and consecrated the new extension Church on 5th November, 2019, when Rev. Fr. Dr. VK Swamy was the Parish Priest. Now, the extension church at the second floor is used for the celebration of the Holy Eucharist and the ground floor old church is used mostly for veneration of Saint Anthony of Padua. The Holy Shrine attracts people from all faith and all walks of life. They come to pray seeking solutions to their problems, in search of right employment, for good health, for job, for spiritual and domestic needs. Some even come forward to share their personal experience of the powerful intercession of the world’s best loved Saint Anthony of Padua, while thanking God for all the favours received through the miraculous St. Anthony of Mettuguda. May God bless all the devotees through the intercession of St. Rev. Dr. VK Swamy
Rector & Parish Priest
