The Hindu : Kerala / Kochi News : Churches see special prayers

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Monday, Oct 13, 2008
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Kerala

Kerala - Kochi

Churches see special prayers

Staff Reporter

— Photo: H.Vibhu

Celebrations: A rally taken out by the Little Flower Mission League arrives at the Sr. Alphonsa Chapel at Bharananganam in connection with her canonisation on Sunday.

KOCHI: Special prayers were offered during Mass on Sunday across Catholic churches in the State in thanksgiving for the raising of Blessed Alphonsa of Bharananganam to sainthood.

The prayers of thanksgiving were said and bells of the churches pealed out.

The Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council, apex body of Catholic bishops in the State, has instructed churches to mark the occasion in this manner.

A spokesman of the Catholic Church said a special thanksgiving Mass would be offered in Rome on Monday.

The State-level celebrations of the sainthood will be held at Bharananganam on November 9. The celebrations will start at 2.30 p.m. on the day in the town where the tomb of the saint is located.

The former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam will inaugurate a public meeting. Apostolic Nuncio Pedro Lopez Quintana; Cardinals Telesphor Toppo, Oswald Gracias Angelo and Varkey Vithayathil; and Archbishops Daniel Acharuparampil and Joseph Powathil; will participate.

A thanksgiving Mass, in which bishops from all over India will participate, will follow.

The mass, led by Cardinal Varkey Vithayathil, head of the Syro-Malabar Church, is scheduled from 4.15 p.m.

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