Thursday, February 19, 2015

Celebrating the saints

It’s celebration time for believers and devotees across Kerala, as the Church gears up for the canonisation ceremony in Rome

With Pope Francis canonising Blessed Kuriakose Elias Chavara and Blessed Euphrasia in Rome today, celebrations are on in full swing by parishioners across Kerala. Members belonging to Syro-Malabar, Syro-Malankara and Latin churches across the state have arranged various programmes in their parish to celebrate the canonisation.
St Philomena’s Church, Koonammavu, in Ernakulam district, which houses the tomb of Chavara Achan, and Mannanam Church in Kottayam district, where his tomb was later shifted to, are expecting a huge number of devotees and believers attending the holy mass and other programmes today.
Rajagiri campus in Kakkanad is gearing up to celebrate the canonisations in a big way. Elaborate programmes and holy mass will be held at the campus in Kakkanad on November 29. As part of the canonisation process, Cardinal George Alencherry, Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Church, will lead a thanksgiving mass in Rome on 24 November.
Apart from the church, the Government of Kerala has also decided
to support the celebrations related to the canonisation of Father Kuriakose Elias Chavara by undertaking various developmental activities like improvement of roads and other PWD works at Mannanam, the resting place of Chavara Achan. 

According to Fr Joseph Pathadan, Asst. Procurator, Ernakulam Angamaly archdiocese, “We are extremely pleased about the canonisation of Blessed Kuriakose Elias Chavara and Blessed Euphrasia. It is a matter of great faith and brings the youth closer to God and religion”

 “It is a great feeling. Truly honoured and blessed to live in the same era as the saints,” says Sr Mary Georgina, principal, Jyothi PU College, Bangalore.

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