The bicentenary celebrations of the arrival of the missionaries of the Church Mission Society (CMS) on the shores of Kerala formally got under way here with a bishops’ conference. The conference at Kumarakom was chaired by Church of South India (CSI) Moderator G. Dyvasirvadam. Moderator of the Church of North India (CNI) Bishop P.K. Samantaroy, Bishop John Holbrook, representative of the Archbishop of Canterbury, CSI deputy moderator, and head of the Madhya Kerala diocese and 24 diocesan heads of the CSI participated. A mass rally and public meeting will be held on Saturday afternoon. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will be the chief guest. Former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, bishops from other churches, and political and cultural leaders will participate. —Special Correspondent
