The feast of St. Mary ('Ettunombu Perunnal') concluded at St. Mary's Jacobite Syrian Church at Manarcad near here.
The concluding day of the 8-day fete was marked by the 'Nercha ilambu', which is considered an offering to St. Mary and a portion of which is received by devotees as a blessing. Thousands took part in the ritual that was preceded by a procession.
Earlier on the day, Metropolitan Mathews Mar Ivanios of the Kandanad diocese of the Jacobite Syrian Church was the celebrant of the Holy Mass that was held.
Thousands of devotees had thronged the cathedral to witness the auspicious 'Nada Thurakkal', which is another high point of the festival, that had taken place on Wednesday. The image of Mother Mary and Jesus Christ will be kept on public display until September 14 when the display will be veiled again, only to be shown to the devotees the next year. Catholicos Baselios Mar Thomas I was the celebrant of the Holy Mass that was held on the same day.
Special bus services of the K.S.R.T.C. were pressed into service during the annual observance. The district administration and the local police department had also put traffic diversions in place in order to control the heavy influx of vehicles proceeding towards the cathedral.
