Mathew described their Christmas festivities: We stroll through the streets as a family, carrying lanterns and singing carols. Together the Vargheses pray before the image every evening. As in many Christian homes, a picture of Jesus hangs prominently in the house. They are members of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, although Mathew was reared in the Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church. He lives with his wife, Mary, in a pleasant bungalow in Keralas capital of Trivandrum. Mathew Varghese is a retired chief engineer from the Kerala Public Works Department. Not only do most people attend a worship service at least once a week, they also practice their religious traditions in the home. India is a very religious country, whatever the creed. The result of this checkered history is a colorful church with each jurisdiction Catholic or Orthodox, Syro-Malabar or Malankara enjoying their particular rituals and practices. The link with the Middle East was vital Christians looked to Syria for ecclesial guidance. The bride and groom were carried in boisterously and seated on a stage for more ritual before the meal: relatives touched the thighs of the newlyweds to wish them health and prosperity.Ĭhristianity in India grew during the early centuries of the First Millennium each Christian migration added impetus, with new worshippers and clergy. Outside, the cheers of a small group announced the new union.Ī massive feast of chicken biryani awaited the guests in the parish hall. A Divine Liturgy followed the betrothal service. The glare of a videographers lights and the flashing of cameras joined a thunderous sound system that broadcast the wedding into the surrounding countryside. The husband briefly placed a cloth over his brides head, a symbol of his power and protection over her, then tied the sacred golden thali around her neck to signify their union. The following morning the couple exchanged their wedding vows and rings in church. In the background, religious songs were sung by a small choir. The intricate designs symbolize the time Eve first touched fruit in the Garden and stained her hand. Meanwhile, at another house a crowd sat around watching as henna was applied to the brides hands and feet. I ask each of the 17 castes for permission to shave the bridegroom. Following tradition, the local barber was brought into the ceremony he addressed the crowd: At the grooms house, after food, wine and merriment, the young man sat on a dais. The night before, separate parties were held at the homes of the bride and groom. While in India, I attended a wedding near Kottayam. Their wedding ritual could almost be mistaken for Jewish. This group of Semites, to which Appoos family belong, became known as Sudhists, who for centuries have married among their own caste, thus remaining culturally distinct. brought to India 72 Jewish Christian families, bishops and priests from an area in present-day Iraq. The expedition under Thomas Knaniya in 345 A.D. With roots in Palestine and Mesopotamia, and with centuries of evolution in South India, Indias Christians have developed their own distinct customs and traditions. Thomas, who landed on Indias shores in 52 A.D. Most trace their lineage back to migrations from the Middle East during the early years of the First Millennium, starting with St. Kerala is noted for its significant population of Christians. Happy Pessaha! Family members greet each other and, taking the sacramental, eat a small piece of the Passover bread with a sweet drink made from milk and sugar. Uncle Joseph answers his nephew, explaining that the Hebrews were in such haste to flee Egypt there was only time to bake unleavened bread for their journey. By tradition, millions of Christian families throughout the southern Indian state of Kerala go through the same ritual on Holy Thursday, when Passover bread made from rice and coconut is baked in every home. Appoos extended family stands around an altar in their living room, already aware of the answer. What is the significance of unleavened bread? asks ten-year-old Appoo. Mary’s Church, Valliapally Kaduthuruthy, Kerala.
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