ASIA/QATAR – Syro-Malabar Community celebrates 25 years of existence under the sign of its “missionary character”

Wednesday, 7 August 2024

Doha (Agenzia Fides) – The Catholic community of Qatar is celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Syro-Malabar Community of St. Thomas in Doha with numerous activities. On July 3, the feast of St. Thomas, a procession of the relic of the saint took place from the Church of Our Lady of the Rosary to the Syro-Malabar Church, an extraordinary event in Doha. Recently, a celebration was also held on Mount St. Thomas, the seat of the Syro-Malabar Church in Kakkanad (Cochin, Kerala), to mark the 25th anniversary of the Holy Mass in the Syro-Malabar liturgy in Doha.

Bishop Aldo Berardi (O.SS.T), Apostolic Vicar of the Vicariate of Northern Arabia, which includes Qatar along with Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, opened the celebrations, stressing the unity of the community and its role as witnesses of the faith. The head of the Syro-Malabar Church, Major Archbishop Raphael Thattil, who was present at the ceremony, expressed his hope for the realization of the long-standing dream of the Church he leads to establish an independent Church structure in the Gulf region. The celebrations began with a Holy Mass celebrated by Cardinal George Alencherry, followed by a study seminar on the “missionary character of the Syro-Malabar Church” led by Kochrani Joseph, the spokesperson of the Syro-Malabar Church. This was followed by a conference in which many former parish ministers shared their experiences. The Major Archbishop thanked more than sixty former collaborators who returned to Qatar after being present in the early years of the Syro-Malabar Church, honoring them with a special award. The anniversary celebrations were supervised by, among others, the parish vicar Nirmal Vezhaparampil (OFM Cap), and the deputy vicar Biju Madhavath (OFM Cap). (AP) (Agenzia Fides, 7/8/2024)

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