Lobo , Bishop of Udupi Diocese, read the same Decree in Konkani. After the Proclamation, the choir sang the “Gloria” hymn. Dr Bernard Moras in his homily said that this was a historical event and expressed gratitude to God for making Saint Lawrence Shrine a Minor Basilica. "This event will be written in the golden annals of the history of the diocese of Udupi," he said. Explaining the significance of a Minor Basilica, he said, "Basilica means a beautiful and royal house. In Christianity, the term basilica was used by early Christians who celebrated the holy Mass in the royal house of the kings. There are 1,742 Minor Basilicas in the world, out of which 21 are in India. This is the 22nd Minor Basilica in the country and the 2nd in the state after St. Mary's Basilica, Bangalore. "Basilica is a place of divine worship. St Lawrence died in AD 257, he sacrificed himself showing his love towards God. He spent his life in the service of the poor and the needy. God is merciful. This is a place of worship, where people from different places come with intentions and witness miracles in their lives," he added. Demographics The parish has 428 families with a population of 1799 members. Total 10 wards are present in this parish. Parish Priests served in this Parish As per available records the following priests have rendered their valuable service and served the people of this Shrine: 1786-1801 : No written record is available for this period. Possibly due to the atrocity during the rule of Tippu Sultan no priest was appointed to serve the people. See also Roman Catholicism in Mangalore Goan Catholics Roman Catholic Diocese of Udupi Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Bangalore Our Lady of Lourdes Church, Kanajar, Karkala References External links Official website Churches in Mangalore Diocese Roman Catholic shrines in India Basilica churches in Karnataka