The annual Lent season pilgrimage of the Ecce Homo shrine attached to the Thuyyam St. Sebastian’s parish church in the city began on Wednesday on the occasion of Ash Wednesday.
The traditional procession from Ramankulangara marked the start of the pilgrimage.
Pilgrimage centre
The shrine is a Vatican-approved pilgrimage centre. The Latin expression Ecce Homo means ‘Behold the man’ — the words of Pontius Pilate, the fifth prefect of the Roman province of Judaea from AD 26–36, when he presented Jesus Christ before the mob with the crown of thorns.
Vicar of the St. Sebastian’s parish Fr. Jolly Abraham said Kollam Bishop Stanley Roman hoisted the pilgrimage flag. On all Fridays in the pilgrimage season, special prayer services led by various retreat centres will be held. The pilgrimage will conclude on April 1 with a high mass.
