Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, ..................
Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them,
nor serve them:
Exodus 20:4,5
"In a small town in western India, the Feast of Our Lady of Miracles draws devotees from multiple religions – and coconut oil plays a role in their observances.“It’s a unique Marian devotion, where Catholics and devotees of other faiths, with their deep conviction of the presence of God, show their love and venerate our Blessed Mother,” Father Mario Saturnino Dias told EWTN.
He said the annual Feast of Our Lady of Miracles “draws people to a change of heart,” encouraging them to be “authentic witnesses of the new evangelization in sharing our faith and strengthening interreligious harmony.”
The feast takes place once a year on the Monday following the third Sunday after Easter.
The pilgrims to the shrine make acts of surrender and reconciliation, and place their prayers in the hands of the Virgin Mary. Fr. Dias said hundreds of people
* receive graces,
* find healing,
* and witness miracles.
The annual festivity starts with spiritual preparation of the faithful through novenas, catechesis, confession, adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, and several Masses.
Many come on foot to venerate the Virgin Mary and to pour coconut oil over the statue.Some place tokens of gratitude at the feet of the statue of Our Lady of Miracles in thanksgiving for healings, the gift of a child, and other answered prayers. The week-long festivities also attract a street fair with vendors selling traditional goods and handcrafts."EWTN