Indian mass Male order CMI celebrates Holy Chavara in the Adelheidis Church

Bonn/Pützchen · Unusual sounds amidst altar, christmas trees and crib - instead of christian organ music the Adelheidis Church is filled with exotic music. But nobody was surprised last Wednesday afternoon.

Priests are processing slowly through the church. All normal so far. But unusual sounds fill the air amidst altar, christmas trees and crib - instead of christian organ music the Adelheidis Church is full of exotic music. But nobody is surprised on Wednesday afternoon this week. A different kind of mass is taking place today.

Indian order Carmelites of Mary Immaculate (CMI) celebrates the anniversary of the death of founder Ku­ria­ko­se Eli­as Cha­va­ra, who died on January 3, 150 years ago. The catholic priest plays an important role in the Syro-Malabar Church. He avoided the splitting of the Indian Christians from the roman-catholic church. About three years ago, Pope Francis declared him a saint. In his honour the mass takes place in a Syro-Malabar tradition. Only the running order is slightly different, but the most important elements are featured in it, according to priest Kut­ti­yan­ni­ckal Geor­ge­kut­ty.

The German delegation of the CMI has its headquarters in Pützchen. Cardinal Joseph Höffner called the Indian Fathers approximately 30 years ago to the Bonn on the right-hand side of the Rhine. The Pützchen Chaplain Tijo George is also part of the order. He grew up as the youngest child of a devout family, left school at the age of 15 to live and work for the church. He chose the life amongst the Brothers of the CMI deliberately - as his father already travelled to the grave of Chavara, although it was 60 kilometres away in the Indian town of Mannanam, to remember the founder of the order: „Through this I had a strong connection with the order since my childhood.“

When Chaplain George speaks of the saint, his admiration is noticeable. Particularly Chavara’s commitment to the matter of education impresses him. Back then, the priest built schools that everybody was allowed to attend - independent of caste or skin colour: „That way he didn’t just achieve something for the Christians but for every other religion too.“

The importance of Chavara to the priests and the entire Syro-Malabar parish is also noticeable during the mass itself. During the sermon, he gets described as a „dynamic leader“, even a „social reformer“, who cared for the elderly and poor. And the mass nowadays „is also a kind of international communication“.

Quite fitting then, that the church-goers were welcomed into the Parish Hall by a traditional Indian meal - to which also the eight-year-old Björn Kurt is looking forward to. The mass and the unusual music he liked a lot - „but I didn’t understand a thing“.

Original text: Julian Schmidt-Farrent

Translation: Mareike Graepel

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