Saturday, November 18, 2006

Faithful flock for annual feast

Faithful flock for annual feast
by a STAFF REPORTER of CyberNoon.com
Thursday, November 02, 2006 10:52:21 IST


Source : Cybernoon.com
Faithful flock for annual feast
Lakhs of Syrian Christians from around the world are expected for the annual feast of the St. Gregorious Church today

Devotees from the city belonging to the Malankara Syrian Orthodox faith flocked Dadar Station’s Platform No. 8 on Monday evening to bid a safe journey to their friends and relatives, who were undertaking their pilgrimage to Mavelikara in Kerala to celebrate the annual feast of St. Gregorious Church there. Around 2200 Orthodox Christian devotees, including 50 priests, children, couples and even elderly people, boarded this specially chartered train.

The church has the 105-year-old remains of Mar Gregorios Metropolitan, the first declared saint of the Malankara Orthodox Church of Kerala. Lakhs of Syrian Christians from around the world are expected for the feast today.

While the 15-bogie train called ‘The Malankara Pilgrim Special’ was scheduled to chug out only at 21.05 hours, people had started coming to the platform three to four hours prior to its departure. The train has been specially charted by the Diocese of the Malankara Orthodox Christian and reached Kerala yesterday morning and will return back next Monday.

Speakers have been installed in each compartment for devotees to participate in the prayers that will be conducted during the journey.

Said Bishop Geevarghese Mar Coorilos, the Metropolitan Head of the Mumbai Diocese of the Malankara Orthodox Church and leader of the pilgrimage, who conducted prayers before the train’s departure time, “This is not any ordinary journey to Kerala but it’s a spiritual one. That’s why we have installed speakers inside all the bogies so that the pilgrims can take part in the prayers that will be conducted during the journey.”

The specially decorated train will halt at 10 stations viz - Thane, Panvel, Roha, Madgaon, Calicut, Ernakulam, Kottayam, Thiruvalla, Chengannur and finally at Mavelikara. Even the seating arrangement was taken care of by volunteers, who gave the pilgrims seating according to their parish they belong to. Each parish had a separate bogie to accommodate their parish members.

“I am a devotee of Mar Gregorius and have been visiting the church every year. But, since the death of my husband three years ago, I could not really make the time to visit the church. This is a good opportunity and with all the great arrangement, you can attend the feast and return within a week’s time,” said 29-year-old Ranjana Kuriakose, a resident of Vikhroli, who was all set to go with her three children for the pilgrimage.

The pilgrims were not only from Mumbai, but also from other states like Gujarat, Karnataka and Goa. Mathew Punnenkullil, a resident of Gandhinagar in Gujarat has come with his family of four. Trying to locate his bogie, he says, “We have come to Mumbai for this train. We were informed about this special train last month and I was really please with this news. We haven’t yet attended the feast at the Mar Gregorious Church, even though we have heard about it. I am really thankful to the Mumbai Diocese for conducting such a journey.” P.J Chandy, convener of the pilgrimage said, “After reaching Mavelikara, pilgrims will march 20 kms to St. Gregorious Church, where prayers will be said over the tomb of the saint. This train will start its journey back this Saturday and on its way, it will make a one-day stop to Goa, wherein the pilgrims will be taken to St. Mary’s Church in Panjim for a holy mass. Pilgrims will also be taken to tour other religious spots in Goa.”

Interestingly, the pantry car is also run by the Syrian Christians itself. Binod Thomas, of Dadar parish who leads the pantry car said, “We will serve pure keralite cuisines like avial, sambhar, toran etc. Since it’s a pilgrimage, no non-vegetarian food would be served. I know this will be journey which all will remember.”

P.V Patil, a motorman of the train will drive till Ratnagiri. All excited about the journey he said, “This is the first time in my life that I will be driving pilgrims to Kerala. The halts are also very different as compared to the normal stops on the Konkan route. It’s like a blessing for me too,” says Patil.

Interestingly, unable to control the crowd at the station, ticket collectors at the station too found themselves confused. Among the ticket collectors at the platform, S.M Sudhankar said, “I was told about this special train. But we never expected a large crowd at this station. In fact, as the Bishop entered the platform, people started swarming the platform in large numbers.” Meanwhile in the city, the Syrian Orthodox Christians led by K.V James, a member of the Dadar parish marched from Calvary Cross at Kanjur Road in Kanjurmarg to the Mar Gregorious Church in Chembur, which is also known as ‘Kochu (mini) St. Gregorious Church’, with lighted candles, singing hymns and prayers. The devotees later joined the Holy tri-mass at the church for the feast of the saint.


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