BUKIT MERTAJAM: On 9 th May 2026 the Penang State Government officially recognized the Feast of St. Anne as an Intangible Cultural Heritage, marking a historic milestone for the Catholic community and the wider cultural landscape of Penang. The ceremony aims to celebrate and present the certificate for the Feast Day of St. Anne, which was gazette on 22 January 2026, as State Heritage under the Penang State Heritage Enactment 2011. Penang Chief Minister YAB Chow Kon Yeow officiated the declaration ceremony held at Kampung Mengkuang Titi, Kubang Semang.
During the ceremony, Rev. Deacon Lazarus Jonathan, Administrator and Finance of the Minor Basilica of St Anne, together with Sister Mercie Lai of the Franciscan Missionaries of the Divine Motherhood (FMDM), received the official Declaration Certificate and Plaque on behalf of H.E. Cardinal Sebastian Francis, Bishop of Penang, the Catholics in Penang and the pilgrims who journey to the St. Anne each year. Deacon Lazarus expressed gratitude to the Penang State Government for the recognition, affirming the lasting significance of the Feast of St. Anne which remains a living tradition - one that inspires devotion, fosters unity, and enriches Penang’s cultural identity across generations.
The veneration of St. Anne in the catholic church started in Jerusalem in the year 550AD and spread to France. In French Britanny devotion to St. Anne the mother of MARY and grandmother of JESUS started in 1624 when a man named Yvon Nikolazic discovered the statue of St. Anne still intact, in the ruins of a chapel which was destroyed in the year 700AD. This was the origin of Sainte-Anne-d’Auray in Britanny, France and this devotion was taken to Malaya in 1846.
The Novena and Feast of St. Anne is celebrated every July for 10 days at the Sanctuary of St. Anne, which encompasses the St. Anne’s Shrine, now called Shrine of Harmony and the Minor Basilica of St. Anne. This year’s celebration will take place from 17 – 26 th July 2026, with the theme ‘Walking Together with Saint Anne’. Daily sub-theme for the masses include: ‘Building Trust, Fostering Inclusivity, Unity in Diversity, Care of Our Common Home, Youth Empowerment, Accompaniment, Reaching Out, Living Synodality, Walking Together with St. Anne and The Cry of the Earth is the Cry of the Poor’. There will also be a Healing rally on 25 th July and Personal Prayer Requests, Sacrament of Reconciliation, and Counselling Services.
The Feast of St. Anne is deeply rooted in Penang’s Catholic history. In 1840 Chinese Catholics settled at the foothills of Bukit Mertajam and worked in farms and orchards. In 1846, Fr. Adolphe Couellan MEP built the first Chapel on top of the hill. Baptism records from the same year mark the parish’s establishment. In 1865 Fr. Maistre MEP constructed a larger chapel to serve the growing Catholic population. Its foundation stones remain behind the present St. Anne’s Water Fount. In 1869 Fr. Allard became the first resident priest and in 1888, Fr. Sorin MEP built the present Shrine of St. Anne and was later buried in its main aisle.
The first local priest, Fr. Michael Seet, who was posted to the parish in 1914 held the record of serving this parish for 24 years until 1938. It was during this time that St. Anne’s feast was celebrated on a large scale with Catholics from other states joining in, and this annual feast grew to what it is today. In 2002 Fr. Michael Cheah oversaw the completion of the new Church of St. Anne.
The Minor Basilica is in the shape of a Greek cross (equal sides), facing south- southwest. To highlight inculturation, the design is an incorporation of traditional design with gothic arches and corridors. The church is covered with a 3-tiered roof, patterned after the Minangkabau roof. The 3-tiers represent the Trinitarian God, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, respectively. The tabernacle is in the shape of a ‘kampung’ house. The entire church was built using clay-face bricks. Was consecrated and dedicated to St. Anne by Bishop Antony Selvanayagam on 26 July 2002.
The Congregation for the Divine Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments, Vatican, Rome on 5 th September 2019 by Decree Protocol No: 42/19, the Church of St. Anne was elevated to the Minor Basilica of St. Anne, to signify the bond with the Church in Rome, bond with the Pope and as a centre of pilgrimage.
The recognition of the Feast of St. Anne as an Intangible Cultural Heritage not only honours its religious importance but also acknowledges its role in shaping Penang’s identity as a place where faith, culture, and community converge. Each year, around 200,000 pilgrims from Peninsular Malaysia, Sabah, Sarawak, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, and beyond converge on Bukit Mertajam. The feast is renowned for its multilingual masses, reflecting the diversity and inclusivity of the celebration.
By Christopher Kushi
