Led by Verkodu parish, Rameswaram fishermen set out on pilgrimage to Katchatheevu on Friday morning to take part in the inaugural ceremony of the newly-built St. Antony Church in the islet.
A total of 82 pilgrims, including four priests, three nuns and leaders of various fishermen associations in the island, set sail in three mechanised boats from the fishing jetty here at 6.50 am after customs and other security agencies cleared their one day pilgrimage.
Rev. Fr L Sagayaraj, Verkodu parish priest led the pilgrims to join the opening ceremony, organised by the Jaffna diocese with Delft parish. The Sri Lankan Navy had built the new church in seven months time after pulling down the old tiled roof structure at the request of the Jaffna diocese.
The ceremony starts at 8.30 a.m. and the Indian pilgrims are expected to return back in the afternoon after the end of the ceremony at 12 noon. Collector S Natarajan and Superintendent of Police N Manivannan supervised the arrangements as the Customs, Indian Navy, Indian Coast Guard (ICG), Marine, Q branch and Special branch police and Fisheries department accorded the clearance.
They set sail in three mechanised boats with a spare country boat, escorted by the Marine police of the Coastal Security Group (CSG) and ICG up to the International Maritime Border Line (IMBL). On being handed over at the IMBL, the Lankan navy escorted them to the Katchatheevu islet, reports received here said. CSG Superintendent of Police R Sakthivel led the marine police in the escort.
“All those who turned up for the trip were cleared and the exercise was smooth,” Mr Manivannan told The Hindu. Though 100 were registered for the trip, 16 fishermen and two sisters failed to turn up, he said. The inaugural ceremony was originally schedule for December 7 but post pone following the demise of Chief Minister Jayalalithaa.
Rameswaram fishermen, who claimed traditional right over the St Antony’s church, raised protest after the Jaffna diocese announced the inaugural function without extending an invitation to them.
After they threatened to force their participation if the government did not facilitate their pilgrimage, the External Affairs Ministry allowed a 20-member delegation but the fishermen insisted that the Centre allow at least 100 of them. After Chief Minister O Panneerselvam took up the issue with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Ministry conceded the fishermen demand.
