Onam Mass strikes a cultural chord

Kochi: With Onam being considered the most secular of all festivals, St Joseph’s Catholic Church, Vazhakkala, in Kochi, under the Syro Malabar Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly, gave a befitting welcome to Maveli by concelebrating the Sunday Mass of the festival day in a special way with overtones of Kerala’s cultural tradition throughout the service.

The Mass was led by Fr Antony Poothavelil, the parish priest, who along with his assistant priest, wore a traditional Kerala shawl over the usual Mass vestment and the altar boys had sandal paste on their foreheads. Nearly 90 per cent of the parishioners attended the service in traditional Kerala costume.

The church choir adopted a temple tune to suit the occasion. The offerings for the Mass were not the usual grapes or apples, but Kerala’s farm products like yam, coconut, pineapple, banana and ash gourd. And there was an ‘aarathi’ at the sanctuary to top it all.

One could also hear Sanskrit renderings like ‘Yesuvaya Namaha’ and ‘Christuvaya Namaha’ during the service even as eight flowers were offered symbolizing the eight virtues of Christ. An Onam song was sung at the end of the Mass and payasam was distributed. “The idea was conceived by Fr Poothavelil and it had approval of the parish council. Once the service was over, even those who had apprehensions over it changed their minds. It came out well and was a good experience,” said Mr Joseph Kailath, a parishioner.