What are the colours of faith? Today, 10th September, they are those of the community of Indian Christians who live in Israel, with their multicoloured and luminous clothes filling this feat-day with warmth and emotion. The community is celebrating today the Monti Feast, an important day when, as well as commemorating the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, they also want to give their thanks to her as the loving Mother who gives all blessings. The name of the celebration comes from the Monte Mariano Church in Farangipet, in South Canara, a region of India, which was the only Christian sanctuary in the area not destroyed by the Muslim sultan Tippu in the mid-18th century.
More than 2000 Indian Christians met in the square in front of the Franciscan church of St. Peter’s in Jaffa, on a splendid sunny afternoon that made the backdrop of the ancient citadel, where the displays of local Jewish art by artists and craftsmen overflow into the alleys around the Church, even more beautiful.
A long and picturesque procession, accompanied by Marian hymns in Hindi wound its way from the Church of St. Peter to the more recent St. Anthony’s church, built in the new part of the city. The procession was opened by two icons of the Virgin Mary with Child and, behind the long line of worshippers in prayer, the religious authorities present, with Mons. William Shomali, Auxiliary Bishop of the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, the numerous members of the Franciscan community of the Holy Land, including Brother Jayaseelan (Brother Jai), the Franciscan of Indian origin who does extensive work to organize and promote the cultural and religious life of the large community of Christian Indians in Israel, the Jesuit Father David Neuhaus, Vicar of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem for Hebrew- and Russian-speaking Catholics, and a special guest from India, Dr. C. M. Sebastian. The group of religious was followed by a small statue of Maria Bambina and a larger one of the Virgin Mary, mounted under a canopy and carried by members of the community, closing the procession.
The procession reached the sports field next to St. Anthony’s where about seating for about 2000 people had been prepared and was only just enough for all the members of the community who had come to the Holy Mass. The moving celebration, animated by an Indian choir, was held in the open air, presided by Mons. Shomali with the concelebrants including Brother Jayaseelan and Brother Francis Rozario, another Franciscan of the Custody of the Holy Land of Indian origin.
The homily, delivered in English by Mons. Shomali, placed the accent on the maternal figure of Mary who, like the most caring of mothers, protects, comforts and guides her children throughout their earthly existence. It is from this Celestial Mother that we learn faith, which Mary cultivated intensely from a very early age, and obedience to God, whose project of salvation, accepted in our life, gives us complete freedom and happiness. Like Mary, although she paid dearly her acceptance of the Lord’s will, calling her to be the Mother of Christ for the salvation of all, we too, in the words of St. Paul (Romans 8,18 ff), are summoned to glory, in a relationship of faith and obedience to God. In a brief reflection in Hindi, Brother Francis Rozario also confirmed how obedience and reciprocal love are the best gifts to offer Mary on this feast-day celebrating her Nativity.
Two moments in the celebration were particularly touching: the offertory, when an endless line of people presented marvellous bouquets of flowers to the altar and, at the end of the Holy Mass, when Mons. Shomali and the other guests were offered the gifts prepared by the Indian community. The gifts received by Mons. Shomali were particularly significant: a characteristic Indian head covering, a beautiful patterned shawl and a delicate icon of the Virgin Mary with Child.
After the final blessing of the food and other offerings placed at the feet of the statue of the Virgin Mary and the intense expressions of devotion to Mary by all those present, a large dinner with typical Indian dishes brought the moving evening to an end.
The Monti Feast is a truly important event in the life of this large and lively Christian community, who are so grateful and happy to be able to live in the land of Jesus. “Everyone tries to take part in this very important celebration, even the many who normally work and cannot always attend the weekly community meetings,” Brother Jai tells us. He works tirelessly, with the help of specialists, to guarantee suitable material assistance and health and psychological care for the community.
It is a sensitive and hard-working community that follows their path, in discretion and silence, with the generosity of simple hearts. Their profound and sincere faith, which is exhilarating and passionate, is a faith that speaks of the joy of being Christians with the warmth of their colours and welcome.
By Caterina Foppa Pedretti
Photos by Marco Gavasso
More than 2000 Indian Christians met in the square in front of the Franciscan church of St. Peter’s in Jaffa, on a splendid sunny afternoon that made the backdrop of the ancient citadel, where the displays of local Jewish art by artists and craftsmen overflow into the alleys around the Church, even more beautiful.
A long and picturesque procession, accompanied by Marian hymns in Hindi wound its way from the Church of St. Peter to the more recent St. Anthony’s church, built in the new part of the city. The procession was opened by two icons of the Virgin Mary with Child and, behind the long line of worshippers in prayer, the religious authorities present, with Mons. William Shomali, Auxiliary Bishop of the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, the numerous members of the Franciscan community of the Holy Land, including Brother Jayaseelan (Brother Jai), the Franciscan of Indian origin who does extensive work to organize and promote the cultural and religious life of the large community of Christian Indians in Israel, the Jesuit Father David Neuhaus, Vicar of the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem for Hebrew- and Russian-speaking Catholics, and a special guest from India, Dr. C. M. Sebastian. The group of religious was followed by a small statue of Maria Bambina and a larger one of the Virgin Mary, mounted under a canopy and carried by members of the community, closing the procession.
The procession reached the sports field next to St. Anthony’s where about seating for about 2000 people had been prepared and was only just enough for all the members of the community who had come to the Holy Mass. The moving celebration, animated by an Indian choir, was held in the open air, presided by Mons. Shomali with the concelebrants including Brother Jayaseelan and Brother Francis Rozario, another Franciscan of the Custody of the Holy Land of Indian origin.
The homily, delivered in English by Mons. Shomali, placed the accent on the maternal figure of Mary who, like the most caring of mothers, protects, comforts and guides her children throughout their earthly existence. It is from this Celestial Mother that we learn faith, which Mary cultivated intensely from a very early age, and obedience to God, whose project of salvation, accepted in our life, gives us complete freedom and happiness. Like Mary, although she paid dearly her acceptance of the Lord’s will, calling her to be the Mother of Christ for the salvation of all, we too, in the words of St. Paul (Romans 8,18 ff), are summoned to glory, in a relationship of faith and obedience to God. In a brief reflection in Hindi, Brother Francis Rozario also confirmed how obedience and reciprocal love are the best gifts to offer Mary on this feast-day celebrating her Nativity.
Two moments in the celebration were particularly touching: the offertory, when an endless line of people presented marvellous bouquets of flowers to the altar and, at the end of the Holy Mass, when Mons. Shomali and the other guests were offered the gifts prepared by the Indian community. The gifts received by Mons. Shomali were particularly significant: a characteristic Indian head covering, a beautiful patterned shawl and a delicate icon of the Virgin Mary with Child.
After the final blessing of the food and other offerings placed at the feet of the statue of the Virgin Mary and the intense expressions of devotion to Mary by all those present, a large dinner with typical Indian dishes brought the moving evening to an end.
The Monti Feast is a truly important event in the life of this large and lively Christian community, who are so grateful and happy to be able to live in the land of Jesus. “Everyone tries to take part in this very important celebration, even the many who normally work and cannot always attend the weekly community meetings,” Brother Jai tells us. He works tirelessly, with the help of specialists, to guarantee suitable material assistance and health and psychological care for the community.
It is a sensitive and hard-working community that follows their path, in discretion and silence, with the generosity of simple hearts. Their profound and sincere faith, which is exhilarating and passionate, is a faith that speaks of the joy of being Christians with the warmth of their colours and welcome.
By Caterina Foppa Pedretti
Photos by Marco Gavasso