The annual church festival and pilgrim week drew to a ceremonial close at St. Paul’s and St. Peter’s Church at Parumala with a holy rasa on Wednesday afternoon.
The 114th feast of St. Gregorios, the first canonised Indian Saint, was celebrated at the Parumala church on Wednesday. Hundreds of believers offered prayers and candles at the saint’s tomb.
St. Gregorios passed away on November 1 in 1902 and his mortal remains were interred in a tomb at the Parumala church on November 2. Mar Gregorios was canonised as saint in 1947 to become the first native saint of any Church in India.
The faithful from different parishes of the church across the State undertook their annual pilgrimage to the saint’s tomb on November 1 and 2 making it a major religious event in Central Travancore.
Holy Eucharist
Joshua Mar Nicodimos led the holy Eucharist at 3 a.m. and Yakoob Mar Ireneus Metropolitan was the chief celebrant at the holy Eeucharist celebrated at 6.30 am.
Catholicos of the East and Malankara Metropolitan Baselius Mar Thoma Paulose II was the chief celebrant of the holy Eucharist celebrated at 8.30 a.m.
The Catholicos, accompanied by all Metropolitans of the Church, blessed the congregation from the balcony of the church later.
The Catholicos inaugurated a meet of the Mar Gregorios Orthodox Christian Students Movement (MGOCSM) at Parumala in the afternoon. MGOCSM president Geevarghese Mar Coorilos presided.
