The week-long festival at St. Paul’s and St. Peter’s Church at Parumala began with the ceremonial Kodiyettu on Thursday.
The ceremony began at 2 p.m. Thomas Mar Athanasius, senior Metropolitan of the Malankara Orthodox Church, was the chief celebrant at the ceremony.
Youhanon Mar Chrysostomos, Metropolitan of the Niranom diocese, Yakoob Mar Ireneus Metropolitan, and Fr M.C. Kuriakose, Parumala seminary manager, were present.
The faithful thronged the church premises to witness the ceremony. The pilgrim week celebrations began at a function held at the seminary premises at 3 p.m.
Rev Valsan Thampu, former member of the Minority Education Commission, delivered the keynote address. Mathew T.Thomas, Water Resources Minister, and Anto Antony, MP, addressed the function.
The 144-hour round-the-clock prayer as part of the annual festival too began at 5 p.m. Youhanon Mar Chrysostomos will inaugurate a retreat to be held as part of the church festival on October 27.
Pilgrims’ meet
Catholicos of the East and the Malankara Metropolitan Moran Mor Baselius Mar Thoma Paulose-II will inaugurate a meet of spiritual leaders on November 1 forenoon and a pilgrims’ congregation on the church premises in the afternoon.
Swami Chidananda Puri and Babu Sebastian, Vice Chancellor of Mahatma Gandhi University, will deliver the keynote addresses.
Feast of St Gregorios
The 115th feast of St. Gregorios will be celebrated on November 2. The Catholicos will lead the holy tri-mass at the church at 8.30 a.m. He will also inaugurate a meet of the Mar Gregorios Orthodox Christian Students Movement at 12 noon.
The church festival and pilgrim week will conclude a Holy Rasa at 2 pm.
