St.
Peter's Cathedral New Delhi, Annual Feast
by Babu David
St. Peter's Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Cathedral, New Delhi, the Eastern Cathedral of the Patriarch of Antioch & All the East, celebrated its Annual Feast on 29 th June 2007 in a big manner. This is the main feast of the Cathedral, viz., 'Cathedral Day'
celebrations. We have been celebrating the Perunal in a purely Kerala style. Like all the previous years, this year also the Perunal was started with Evening Prayers at 5.30 p.m. followed by Holy Tri-Mass led by H.G. Pathros Mar Osthathios, Auxiliary Metropolitan of the Delhi Region of Outside Kerala Diocese under the Jacobite Syrian Christian Church.
After the Holy Qurbana there was a colorful procession with wooden Cross, silver Cross, Flags and the faithful and clergy holding lighted candles. The procession passed through the nearby residential areas of the Cathedral. In addition to the procession song through the PA system in a vehicle the participants were also singing devotional and procession songs.
The chenda melam by the professional group set up by Kerala Hindus in Delhi added more attraction and pomp to the procession. We have to state that in North India, the chenda melam and procession through the roads/lanes during the Perunal days along with the fire-work were started by St. Peter's Cathedral, New Delhi. The chenda melam group was set up in Delhi around 10 years ago and St. Peter's Cathedral were the first to invite them to a church or temple function in Delhi/North India. Gradually all other denominations started these arrangements. Initially, many of the parishes of other denominations also used our silver Cross and flags for their Perunal processions.
Glory is to God that the Holy Cross of St. Peter's Cathedral, New Delhi was taken to different parts of Delhi and used for devotional processions. Attractive and huge fire-work also became a part of the Palli Perunal these days in Delhi. Of course, the Perunal ends with benediction and Nercha Vilambu. Every year the feasts of the Cathedral are sponsored by any one of the families of the Cathedral. This year the Perunal was sponsored by Mr.E.V.Thomas & Family.
The other feasts of the Cathedral are 'Parish Day' on 2nd November, 'St. Mary's Day' on 8th September and 'Cathedral Consecration Day' on 29th September.
The temporary consecration of the Cathedral was conducted by the blessed memory of late lamented Aboon Mor Basalios Paulose II, the Catholicos of the East on 22 nd February 1986. Till 2004 this day (22nd February) was celebrated as 'Consecration Day' along with the commemoration of Establishment Day of the Holy Throne at Antioch by St. Peter, the chief of Apostles in AD 37 . In the year 2004 His Holiness Moran Mor Ignatius Zakka I Iwas, the Prince Patriarch of Antioch & All the East, consecrated His Holiness' second Cathedral with Holy Mooron on 29th September.
