Hundreds of believers from different parts of the State thronged the St. Paul’s and St. Peter’s church at Parumala, near Thiruvalla, to offer prayers at the tomb of St. Gregorios in connection with the 115th feast of the saint on Wednesday.
Pilgrimage processions to Parumala from different parts of the State were a common sight on almost all roads in the district.
Believers served light refreshments, tender coconuts, tea, coffee, and soft drinks to the pilgrims on the road leading to Parumala. They consider it their offering to the saint whom they reverently call Parumala Tirumeni.
Catholicos of the East and Malankara Metropolitan Baselius Mar Thoma Paulose II celebrated the holy Eucharist at the chapel on the Parumala Seminary premises at 6 a.m.
Youhanon Mar Discorus Metropolitan led the tri-mass held at the church at 7.30 a.m.
The Catholicos inaugurated a spiritual meet at 10.30 a.m. The Catholicos inaugurated the valedictory of the 70th anniversary celebrations of the saint’s canonisation in the afternoon
A pilgrims’ congregation on the seminary premises was inaugurated by the Catholicos. He, accompanied by other bishops, blessed the pilgrims in the evening.
Saint’s feast
The 115th feast of St. Gregorios will be celebrated on Thursday.
Canonised in 1947, St. Gregorios is the first native saint of any Church in India and the only Saint of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church.
The Catholicos will be the chief celebrant of the holy tri-mass to be celebrated at 8.30 a.m. on Thursday. He will inaugurate the annual meeting of the Mar Gregorios Orthodox Christian Students Movement at 12 noon.
The annual pilgrimage and the church festival will come to a close with the holy rasa in the afternoon.
