Updated on: 09-Dec-2013
Jharkhand's biggest Catholic church turns 114

Ranchi: The city's famous St Mary's cathedral at Purulia Road turned 114 years on October 3, 2013 . As a celebration of feast of the Immaculate Conception of virgin Mother Mary, people converged at the cathedral on Sunday for morning prayers.

The biggest Catholic Church in the state, built by Jesuit Brother Alfred Lemoine on the Belgian model of the church at Arlon, took three years to complete and on October 3, 1909 was opened for church goers by the Bishop of Dhaka Major Hurth.

The church, which is dedicated to Mother Mary, has a unique design in which statues of Roman Catholic Church's great saints including St Anna, St Agatha, St Elizabeth Hungry, St Patrick, St Anthony, St Gregory, St Francis Xavier, St Yohan Baptista, St Polus, St Petrus and St Polusare are seen taking blessings from Mother Mary.

On Sunday, parish priest Fr Ajay Baxla of St Mary's Cathedral, said, "As this church is dedicated to Mother Mary, so to pay respect and offer prayer people gather here. Barely 17 days are left for Christmas celebrations, so we have already started our preparation to welcome Christ. From November 14 to November 21, Christmas gatherings have been organized by the missionaries at Loyola Ground in the city."

At St Paul's Cathedral in Bahu Bazaar, devotees from Christian communities gathered to celebrate 'Katni Parwa'. Bishop O K Tirkey said, "Through this festival we offer a portion of our crops that we yielded for the whole year as a thanksgiving to the almighty. As most of the people nowadays work in either public or private sector, so they offer their portion of income to the lord."

Sunday onwards Christmas gathering were started in the city and the first in the series was by GEL church at Gossner's Boys' Middle School at Club Road in the city.

Inaugurated by Bishop Nelson Lakra of GEL church, the gathering witnessed several programmes including Christmas carols, drama and skits. Also Hindi and Sadri songs were sang by school kids.

source: Saurav Mukherjee,TNN 
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