The annual Harvest Festival and Sunday School Golden Jubilee closing ceremony of St. Gregorios Indian Orthodox Church (Maha Edavaka), the largest parish of Malankara Orthodox Church (est. in AD 52), is being held at Al Jeel Al Jadeed school auditorium, Hawally.
The parish is actively involved in humanitarian aid to the needy and poor especially in the remote and undeveloped areas of North India. The Calcutta Diocese to which this parish belongs, has won many accolades from the State Govts., for uplifting the lives of thousands of villagers through many developmental projects, one of which was the ‘Makodia Mission’, an ambitious project adopting hundreds of villages and developing it. In a rare gesture of appreciation, one of the streets has recently been named after the (Late lamented) Dr. Stephanos Mar Theodosius, the first Metropolitan of Calcutta Diocese.
The Harvest Festival of Kuwait parish is to support its humanitarian/ charity projects. The day long event will showcase variety cultural programs, public meeting, procession, food festival, American auction, games etc., besides a full length musical show by a team of artists lead by Ms. Remya Nambeesan, the playback singer and cine artist.
Along with the Harvest Festival, the year-long Golden Jubilee celebrations of the Sunday School will also be concluded. The Sunday School had a meek start in 1964 and has grown to be the largest School in Malankara Orthodox Church with 1350 students and 135 teachers in fifty years.
During the Jubilee year, various programs such as Personality & Career Development Classes, Teachers training, Workshops on Learning skills, Seminars for parents, Inter-Sunday school competitions, Alumni meet, Vacation Classes, Talent scan etc., were conducted with the support of professionals from each area.
His Holiness Baselius Marthoma Paulose II, the supreme Head of Malankara Orthodox Church, along with Diocesan Bishop HG (Dr) Joseph Mar Dionysius, Director of Orthodox Syrian Sunday School of the East (OSSAE), Director of Sunday School Outside Kerala Region (OKR), Diplomats and other dignitaries will attend the events.
Release of ‘Reference Book’, Golden Jubilee Medellion, Souvenir, inauguration of Golden Jubilee Special Educational aid for poor students, honoring of senior teachers, prize distribution for competition winners etc., are included in the main event. There are many important announcements expected from the Supreme Head, acknowledging the selfless support Kuwait parish has been extending to various activities of the Church for the past 60 years.
During the short visit, His Holiness will inaugurate the first Sunday School Alumni Association in Kuwait, which is going to be a landmark announcement in the history of Malankara Church.
Various committees under the leadership of Rev. Fr. Raju Thomas (Vicar), Rev. Fr. Reji C. Varghese (Associate Vicar), P.C. George (General Convener, Golden Jubilee), Sabu T. George (Gen. Convener, Harvest Festival) are working hard to make the events successful.