Feast of Saint Thomas on July 3

PARVOOR: The feast of St Thomas will be held at Kottakkavu church here on July 3 with various programmes. Ernakulam Archdiocese Auxiliary Bishop Mar Sebastian Edayanthrath will be the main celebrant of the ceremonies. A community baptism will mark the beginning of the festival at the church at 9 am, followed by a concelebrated High Mass. A procession will be take in this connection. Arrangements have been made to serve feast to the devotees during the festival. Around 15,000 devotees are expected to throng the church, Vicar Fr Paul Manampilly said. Meanwhile, the feast will be celebrated at the ancient St Thomas Jacobite Syrian church adjacent to Kottakkavu church on the same day. Thrissur Diocese Bishop Metropolitan Kuriakose Mar Elsebius will be the main celebrant for the Moonnummel Qurbana at 8.30 am. The main offering of the festival is 'Valiyappam.' Hundreds of parishioners began the preparation of Valiyappam on the church premises on Wednesday. Vicar Fr Elias Kaiparambattu, covicars Fr K V Poulose and Fr Mathews Paracka and church secretary E A Jacob are supervising the arrangements.