Christian Community celebrate Holy Week by following Covid-19 Protocols...

The Christian Community all over the world also in India is preparing to celebrate the greatest feasts of Salvation, namely, Good Friday and Easter! Tomorrow the Christian Community begins the Holy Week.

28 March is Palm Sunday As the Corona virus is still around and the pandemic is not over, there are changes:

On Palm Sunday there will be no procession with Palms. Palms will be kept at the entrance of the Church. As you enter, people will take a Palm and occupy their places in the Church. Bishop Gerald Mathias, the Celebrant, will bless the Palms from the Altar and will go around sprinkling them with Holy Water. The Masses will be at 8.00 am, at 9.30 am and 5.30 pm. At the Masses at 9.30 am and 5.30 pm the Palms, blessed in the morning Mass will be given to those attending these Masses. On Maundy Thursday the traditional Washing of the Feet of 12 people will be omitted this year; so also the Procession to the Altar of Repose. The Blessed Sacrament will be kept in the Tabernacle after Communion. The service will start at 5.30 pm.

Good Friday service will start at 4.30p.m. with the Stations of the Cross in the Church. Veneration of the Cross by each individual will be omitted. After unveiling the Cross, the celebrant will venerate the Cross, then will hold the Cross aloft for all the faithful to venerate it with a deep bow together. On Holy Saturday the Easter Vigil will start at 9.00 p.m. in the Church, followed by Holy Mass.

Parishioners will be issued Passes for all the days of the Holy Week, through your Ward Incharges to limit numbers. On Easter Sunday there will be one Mass in the morning in Hindi at 8.00 am and a second in English at 9.30 a.m. There will not be any Mass in the evening. The members have to come to the Divine Services, wearing masks and following other Covid-19 Protocols etc.

Aradhana Maurya