He is risen!

Easter commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is the most important Christian festival, and the one celebrated with the greatest joy.

The date of Easter changes each year, and several other Christian festivals fix their dates by reference to Easter.

Churches are filled with flowers, and there are special hymns and songs. But not all Easter customs are Christian; some, such as the Easter Bunny, are Pagan in origin.

The Easter story is at the heart of Christianity
On Good Friday, Jesus Christ was executed by crucifixion. His body was taken down from the cross, and buried in a cave.

The tomb was guarded and an enormous stone was put over the entrance, so that no-one could steal the body.

On the following Sunday, some women visited the grave and found that the stone had been moved, and that the tomb was empty.

Jesus himself was seen that day, and for days afterwards by many people. His followers realised that God had raised Jesus from the dead.

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Good Friday: The Martyrdom of Jesus Christ

Good Friday is observed two days before Easter to honor the martyrdom of Jesus Christ. It is a day of somber ceremonies for all Christians. Originally known as ‘God’s Friday’, the present expression is believed to have emerged during the 10th or 11th century.
According to Christian belief, Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Some high authority officials however felt that he was trying to mislead the people. They hatched a plot against Christ and crucified him. A huge wooden cross was placed on his shoulders, and he carried it to the place assigned for his crucifixion.
A cross, symbolic of the one on which Jesus was crucified, is unveiled in many churches. It is believed that he rose from his grave on the following Sunday, which is celebrated as Easter Sunday.
The rituals for Good Friday commence on the preceding Thursday. A feast symbolizing the last supper of Christ is held on Thursday night. The end of this meal marks the beginning of the fast for Easter. Sermons, meditation and prayers form part of the ceremony, in memory of the suffering endured by Jesus Christ for three hours. This is followed by a general communion service at midnight. A day of prayer and penance, the bells of the churches remain silent on Good Friday.

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Guess, what God will ask you?

1 …God won’t ask what kind of car you drove;
He’ll ask how many people you drove who didn’t have transportation.

2…God won’t ask the square footage of your house,
He’ll ask how many people you welcomed into your home.

3…God won’t ask about the clothes you had in your closet,
He’ll ask how many you helped to clothe.

4…God won’t ask what your highest salary was,
He’ll ask if you compromised your character to obtain it.

5…God won’t ask what your job title was,
He’ll ask if you performed your job to the best of your ability.

6…God won’t ask how many friends you had,
He’ll ask how many people to whom you were a friend.

7… God won’t ask in what neighborhood you lived,
He’ll ask how you treated your neighbors.

8…God won’t ask about the color of your skin,
He’ll ask about the content of your character.

9… God won’t ask why it took you so long to seek Salvation,
He’ll lovingly take you to your mansion in heaven, and not to the gates of Hell.

Epilogue::

Happy moments, praise God.
Difficult moments, seek God.
Quiet moments, worship God.
Painful moments, trust God.
Every moment, thank God.

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Birth of Jesus

About 2000 years ago God sent an angel to Israel, to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to Joseph, a carpenter. The angel told Mary that by God’s power, she would conceive and bear a son.

When Joseph learned that she was pregnant, an angel instructed him to marry her. Joseph took her to Bethlehem to register for a census. While there, Mary gave birth to Jesus. She laid him in a manger because there was no room at the inn. Shepherds visited Jesus in Bethlehem.

Later, wise men brought gifts to Jesus. They told Herod the Great, a wicked king, that Jesus would rule Israel. So Herod sent soldiers to kill the children in Bethlehem. Warned by an angel, Joseph took his family to Egypt. After Herod died, they returned to Israel and raised Jesus in a town called Nazareth.
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Martyrdom of Saint Thomas, disciple of Lord Jesus Christ

On this day St. Thomas the apostle was martyred. He was born in Galilee, and the Lord chose him among the twelve disciples (Mathew 10:3). When the Lord wanted to go to raise Lazarus from the dead, Thomas said to the other disciples: ” (John 11:16). He also asked the Lord at the supper: ” (John 14:5-6). When the Lord Christ appeared to the disciples after the resurrection, and said to them “Receive the Holy Spirit”, Thomas was absent. On his return, the disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” He said to them: ” (John 20:19-29).

After the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost in the Upper room in Zion, the apostles dispersed everywhere to preach the Gospel, Thomas went to India. He worked there as a slave at one of the friends of the king, whose name was Lukios, who brought him to the king who inquired about his profession. Thomas said: “I am builder, carpenter and a physician. He preached in his master’s palace, and Lukios’ wife believed and all his household.

The king asked him about his achievements, and he said: “The palaces that I built were the souls that have become the temples of the King of Glory; the carpentry that I did was the Gospel that removes the thorns of sin; and the medicines I practiced are the Holy Mysteries which heal the poison of the evil one. The king became angry and tortured him, and bound him among four poles, cut off his skin and rubbed his wounds with salt and lime. The apostle Thomas endured the pains. Lukios’ wife saw him suffering, and she fell from the window and died. Lukios came to him and said: “If you raise my wife from the dead, I believe in your God.” Thomas went to the room where the dead body was, and said: “Arsabona (Arsonia), rise up in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ.” She rose instantly and bowed to the Saint. When her husband saw that, he believed and many more with him from the people of the city, and Thomas baptized them.

Once the sea drove a huge tree to the shore that no one could lift it up. St. Thomas asked the king for permission to lift it up and to use its wood in building a church. He got the permission, he made the sign of the cross, and he raised it and later he built the church, to which he ordained a bishop and priests.

St. Thomas left and went to a city called “Kantoura” (Kontaria), where he found an old man weeping bitterly because the king killed his six children. The Saint prayed over them, and the Lord raised them up. The idol priests were angry, and wanted to stone him. The first raised a stone to throw it at him, and his hand was paralyzed. The Saint prayed over his hand, he was healed instantly, and all the idol priests believed in the Lord Christ. Then St. Thomas went to the city of “Parkenas” and other cities, where he preached in the Name of Jesus Christ. The king heard about him, and he put him in prison. When he found out that he was teaching the prisoners the way of God, he tortured him, and at last he was killed with a spear, and he received the crown of martyrdom. He was buried in “Melibar” or Mt. St. Thomas, India , then his body was relocated to El-Raha.

Hence He is the patron saint of the Churches in India as he is said to be founder of the churches in India.

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Who is Santa Claus?

The true story of Santa Claus begins with Nicholas, who was born during the third century in Patara, a village in what is now Turkey. His wealthy parents, who raised him to be a devout Christian, died in an epidemic while Nicholas was still young. Obeying Jesus’ words to “sell what you own and give the money to the poor,” Nicholas used his whole inheritance to assist the needy, the sick, and the suffering. He dedicated his life to serving God and was made Bishop of Myra while still a young man. Bishop Nicholas became known throughout the land for his generosity to the those in need, his love for children, and his concern for sailors and ships.

Under the Roman Emperor Diocletian, who ruthlessly persecuted Christians, Bishop Nicholas suffered for his faith, was exiled and imprisoned. The prisons were so full of bishops, priests, and deacons, there was no room for the real criminals—murderers, thieves and robbers. After his release, Nicholas attended the Council of Nicaea in AD 325. He died December 6, AD 343 in Myra and was buried in his cathedral church, where a unique relic, called manna, formed in his grave. This liquid substance was said to have healing powers which fostered the growth of devotion to Nicholas. The anniversary of his death became a day of celebration, St. Nicholas Day.
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Indian Orthodox Church

India is one of the earliest of centres of Christainity in the world. The Christain religion in India is as old as the Christain religion itself. The Gospel of Jesus Christ was preached in India in the first century itself. Tradition traces the origin of Christianity in India to the missionary enterprises of St. Thomas, one of the twelve Apostles of Jesus Christ. This tradition, most dearly cherished by a large of Christians known as the Saint Thomas Christians.

The name, Malankara Orthodox Church, refers to the section of the St.Thomas Christians of India, that Canonically came under Catholicate of the East whose Supreme Head is His Holiness The Catholicos of the East and Malankara Metropolitan,with head quarters at Devalokam, Kottayam,Kerala, India. St.Thomas Christians at present belongs to ten different churches and denominations. The Malankara Orthodox Church is one among them and it is the second largest.

St. Thomas, one of the twelve apostles of Jesus Christ, is the founder of the ancient church in India. Christian writers and historians from the 4th century refer to the evangelistic work of Apostle Thomas in India, and the Indian Christians ascribe the origin of their church to the labours of the apostle in the 1stcentury.
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The Advent for X’mas

Prior to Christmas is a fasting period to Orthodox Churches across the world, that many call Advent. Advent means “coming.” It is the period of waiting for the coming of the Messiah, the Anointed One, the Christ. Indian Orthodox Church as a community enters today to its 25 days fast to bring forth Christ into their heart .

For most of its members, they are anxious to get to the feast — they want the days to rush by. The preparation usually consists of shopping and decorating. Faithful are encouraged to discipline themselves through self-control and patience and to read the Scriptures, specifically the prophecies that speak of the coming of the Messiah, in this lent period by the Church.

Faithful are to turn their focus to a Godly way of life that calls for sacrificing and almsgiving. Let everyone think of charity and the giving of his time, talents, and resources to others that may be in need. There is no better way to imitate Christ than to be loving and charitable towards others.

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Mother Mary’s holy girdle to be on display

The St Peter’s Jacobite Syrian Church at Mit Chowky will display a part of the girdle of Mother Mary to devotees from Sept 1 to 8. This church houses the Soonoro (a portion of the holy girdle of Mother Mary).

According to Mathew Thomas, secretary of the Parish Youth Association of St Peter’s Jacobite Church, “The girdle is said to have been in the possession of the apostle St Thomas who brought it to India.

In 394 AD, together with the coffin of St Thomas, the girdle also moved from India to Syria and was kept in a church there.”

The girdle stayed in the possession of the Syrian Orthodox Church, but over a period of time, the church lost track of the holy relic. In April 1953, Ignatius Aphrem, the supreme head of the Syrian Orthodox Church, found a letter that revealed the location of the girdle.

In 1982, during the Apostolic visit of His Holiness, Ignatius Zakka II Patriarch to Malankara, Kerala, he brought a portion of the girdle and installed it in many churches in Malankara. All these churches became places of pilgrimage later.

Thomas adds, “His Holiness Moran Mor Ignatius Zakka II then brought a part of the girdle to St Peter’s Church. It is the only church outside Kerala where the Soonoro has been installed.”

The Soonoro is opened for public veneration once a year on Sept 1 and displayed during Ettunombu — an eight-day period of fasting that lasts until Sept 8, the birthday of Mother Mary. On that day, the casket housing the girdle will be taken out of the shrine and devotees will be allowed to venerate it.

St Peter’s Church
Mit Chowky
Marve Road
Call 28612121 / 55425436

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