Palm Sunday of hope for Manipur Christians
Local churches proved too small to contain everyone from communities displaced by the ethnic violence that has plagued the north-eastern state. Meanwhile, rehabilitation and reconstruction continue, noted Fr Varghese Velickakam. In Karnataka, thousands gathered at the Miraculous Cross in Nandgad on the Day of Prayer for India.
New Delhi (AsiaNews) – Palm Sunday was celebrated with fervour yesterday among displaced Kukis in Manipur, the north-eastern Indian state that has been grappling with serious ethnic violence since last May.
In several places, churches were too small to contain everyone, forcing some worshippers to participate in the service outside.
“Even in parishes where there are a large number of refugees – for example Don Bosco Parish in Churachandpur and St Mary’s Parish in Tuibong (Churachandpur), churches were packed for Psalm Sunday liturgical services,” said Fr Varghese Velickakam, vicar general of the Archdiocese of Imphal and coordinator of the relief and rehabilitation committee.
“The situation is slowly settling down,” Fr Velickakam told AsiaNews, as this day of celebration offered an important sign that things were getting back to normal.
“The refugees are already in the separate area,” the clergyman explained. “We are trying to rehabilitate them. Construction is going on. Support is coming from different parts of the country and from their own community".
Palm Sunday in India came the day after the Day of Fasting and Prayer held on Friday at the initiative of the country’s Catholic bishops ahead of upcoming elections.
One of the most significant celebrations saw thousands of pilgrims gather in Karnataka at the Miraculous Cross, which is located at the top of Nandgad Hill, about 35 km from the city of Belagavi.
The Way of the Cross saw a large crowd gather, some coming from the neighbouring states of Goa and Maharashtra, including many non-Christians.
On this Friday of Lent, the local diocese also marked its Day of Reparation, with prayers not only in English but also in the local languages, Kannada and Konkani.
“It is a day to acknowledge our sins and repair the damage caused to humanity. Hence, we will be offering prayers for the nation too,” said Bishop Derek Fernandes of Belgaum.
The Miraculous Cross in Nandgad was erected in 1888 by people who were suffering, some dying, from various diseases, especially plague, travelling from Goa to Belagavi.
They prayed to the Holy Cross to be healed, and if they did recover, they pledged to return each year to praise, worship, and thank the Lord for the healing they had received.
On the occasion of the Jubilee of 2000, Nandgad Hill was recognised by the Diocese of Belgaum as a pilgrimage centre; since then, religious activities have developed significantly.
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