Thousands take part in canonisation celebrations

Saints Chavara Kuriakose Elias and Euphrasia Eluvathingal kept up the tradition of Indian spirituality, and by honouring them, the world was honouring the Indian traditions of spirituality, said Chief Minister Oommen Chandy here on Saturday.

He was delivering the presidential address at a public meeting to mark the celebration of the canonisation of the two saints from the Syro-Malabar Church.

He said Kerala has a 2,000-year-old tradition of Christianity and its traditions were known all over the world. He recalled that thousands from the State had attended the canonisation ceremony in the Vatican on November 23.

The public meeting on Saturday was part of more than five-hour-long programmes at the Rajagiri Valley in Kakkanad, in which more than 50,000 people, including 2,000 religious priests led by two cardinals and 17 bishops, participated.

The programmes began with a concelebrated Mass led by Cardinal George Alencherry, Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Church. Archbishop Salvatore Pennacchio, Apostolic Nuncio, was among the concelebrants. He inaugurated the public meeting and conveyed Pope Francis’ blessings and greetings to the mammoth crowd.

Cardinal Alencherry thanked the Carmelites of Mary Immaculate, the religious order founded by Saint Chavara Kuriakose Elias, for the contributions they had made to the Catholic Church in Kerala even as he said that this was the first time that he was addressing such a massive gathering of the faithful.

Cardinal Baselios Mar Cleemis, who delivered the homily during the Mass, said that the two saints were cause for pride for the Indian Church and, as social reformers, they had translated God’s love into everyday action.

Sister Sancta, Superior General of the religious order Congregation of the Mother of Carmel, welcomed the gathering.

Finance Minister K.M. Mani; Minister for Culture K.C. Joseph; Minister for Excise and Fisheries K. Babu; Minister for Civil Supplies Anoop Jacob; Minister for Water Resources P.J. Joseph, and MPs and MLAs participated in the public meeting.