Thousands of believers from different parts of the State thronged the St. Paul’s and St. Peter’s Church at Parumala to offer prayers at the tomb of St. Gregorios on Thursday.
The Malankara Orthodox Church will be celebrating the 116th feast of St. Gregorios, the first canonised Indian Saint, at the Parumala church that houses the saint’s tomb on Friday.
Pilgrimage processions from different parts of the State to Parumala was a common sight on almost all roads in the district on Thursday.
Devotees of St. Gregorios served light refreshments, tender coconuts, drinking water, tea, coffee, and fruit juice to the Parumala-bound pilgrims.
Receptions accorded
The church leaders received the pilgrimage processions by giving a lighted candle to the team leader on their arrival on the Parumala Orthodox Christian Seminary premises.
Catholicos of the East and Malankara Metropolitan, Baselius Marthoma Paulose-II, accompanied by other bishops, blessed the believers’ from the balcony of the church in the evening.
Transport Minister A.K. Saseendran inaugurated the pilgrims’ meet in the afternoon.
In his inaugural address, Mr. Saseendran said Parumala was a symbol of communal harmony.
The Catholicos presided. Mathews Mar Savarios Metropolitan delivered the keynote address.
Youhanon Mar Chrysostomos Metropolitan, Fr M.O.John, clergy trustee; Biju Oommen, Church secretary; Veena George, MLA; Fr M.C. Kuriakose, Fr. Johns Eapen, and Fr. E.P.Varghese, spoke.
The annual church festival will come to a close with the holy rasa in the afternoon.
