Prayer Is The Real Beauty Of Church – H H
Catholicos
Abraham Thomas
IOH News Service
Kottayam Jan 25 2006:
Prayer is the real beauty of church, His Holiness Baselius
Marthoma Didimos I Catholicos said. Even if the church was built
with expertise, if there is no prayer or awakening it fails in
its purpose, he added. The Catholicos was making the inaugural
address at the public meeting to consecrate the Meenadam St.
Thomas Orthodox Valiapalli. Light is the revealing of God’s
presence and lighting the lamp is symbolic of this. The lamp
should be lighted all day and all night. That is our tradition.
But today we see people leave the church after putting off the
lights. The church should be preserved pure. All the nooks and
corners of the church should be pure. Yehowah (God) told Moses,
the place you stand is Holy, so take off your shoes. It is the
duty of all the faithful to keep the holy places holy.
In the abode of the holy, the faithful should also be holy. When
ordinary people train their eyes on the world, the one who is
dear to God has his eyes set on heaven. If we want God’s
presence and His mercy, it is essential that we selfless faith.
The world is controlled by two forces – the good and the evil.
We should be able to keep the faith and fasting which controls
the body. Our forefathers lived like this. Clapping and singing
is not praise. It is the partaking of the body and blood. It is
the created bowing with all humility to the Creator. He
concluded reminding the faithfuls need to confess and renew
their lives.
Geevarghese Mar Ivanios,
Kottayam Metropolitan and Kuriakose Mar Cleemese, Sultan Battery
Metropolitan and Diocesan head, also blessed the believers who
gathered in large numbers. The celebrations started with the
procession carrying the picture of St. Stephen from Devalokam
Aramana to Paampaadi Dayara and then a lighted torch procession
to the new church. The first phase of the consecration ceremony
began after this. A trimass led by H H the Catholicos marked the
second phase and the public meeting was the grand finale. Fr. K.
P. Zachariah Peryarmattam, Vicar, Binu K Scaria Secretary and
convener P Abraham and host of other committee members made
arrangements for the ceremony.
( Indian Orthodox Herald
Release, January 25, 2005 )
