Daijiworld News Network - Puttur/Nelyadi (GA)

Puttur, May 8: The annual feast of St George Orthodox Syrian Church was celebrated with pomp on Sunday May 7.

The feast began with the solemn Eucharistic celebration.  V I Mathews Manikalam celebrated the Holy Eucharist.  In his sermon, he said that the Ichlampady church is the best example of religious tolerance.  "Here people from all religions and from all walks of life come and participate.  This means that majority of people still believe in religious tolerance and communal harmony.  This indeed is a good message to the people who believe dividing the populace on the basis of religion, caste and creed," he preached.

The devotees were seen taking a bath in the nearby Gundya River after the day-long fast.  Thereafter, the devotees did the traditional "Urulu Seve" (rolling on the ground as a mark of respect to God). 

All those who had come for the feast were served meals after the mass.