June 13th – Feast of St. Antony at the shrine in Menamkulam, St Andrews

Pic from the Family Album

A Special Memory Close to My Heart

Forty-seven years ago, my father, George Stephen Gomez, built a shrine to St. Antony in our family compound at Mennamkulam, Kazhakuttom, Trivandrum. He built it in honor of my grandfather, Michael Cruz, as a symbol of love, faith, and deep gratitude.

During World War II, my grandfather undertook an extraordinary journey — he walked all the way from Malaysia to India, a trek that took over two years. The one thing that gave him strength through that long and uncertain journey was his prayer to St. Antony.

When he finally returned home, he was unrecognizable — his beard and hair had grown so long that my grandmother, Polly Cruz, didn’t realize it was him. But once he cleaned up, she knew it was truly her husband, back from the impossible.

My mother was just a young girl then. Years later, when she married my father, my grandfather shared his story — the journey, the struggle, and his unwavering devotion. My father was deeply moved, and that’s when he made the decision to build the shrine at our home.

Btw, my mom keeps on telling me and many others that she wants to publish a book about the journey of my grandfather during world war II. Though the story are in bits and pieces, I hope I will find time to get someone to sketch the journey of man who braved all odds to leave war zone to reach home. 

Feast of St Antony in 2025 at Menamkulam

Today, on June 13th, 2025, as I stood in front of that same statue of St. Antony, I couldn’t hold back my tears. I thought of my grandfather’s long walk home, my father’s decision to honor him, and how their faith still touches lives today.

Though we eventually sold the property and moved to Hyderabad, we made sure to hand over the land where the shrine stands to St. Andrew’s Church — so that it would remain a place of prayer and blessing for all.

This evening mass was emotional. The priest remarked that he had never seen such a beautiful statue of St. Antony. I was remembering how my dad had sourced this statue from Chennai ( then Madras) — and how particular he was that the statue should not have painted eyes. It’s incredible how even small decisions we make carry such long echoes through time.

Some memories never fade — they only grow stronger.

And sometimes, they live on in stone and prayer. 🙏 


Related post:

1. Visit to St Andrews 
2. Dabba set-up food biz in St Andrews Beach side
3. Food biz potential ( Unique cuisine and home chefs from St Andrews beach ) 

St Antony of Padua