The Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Church, Mar Raphael Thattil, received a warm welcome in Dublin. Bishop Raphael Thatil, who arrived in Ireland on his first foreign trip after becoming Major Archbishop, and Bishop Mar Stephen Chirapanath, Apostolic Visitor of Syro-Malabar Church in Europe, were welcomed at Dublin Airport under the leadership of Ireland Syro-Malabar Pastoral Council Secretary Fr Seban Sebastian Vellamathara.
Catechism Director Fr Roy Vattakat, Ireland Syro-Malabar Church Trustees Julie Roy and Seejo Kachapilly, Dublin Zonal Secretary Binujith Sebastian, Trustees and various Department Secretaries attended the reception. After participating in various events in Rome, Mar Raphael arrived in Ireland and returned to Rome to visit the Holy Father.
The Major Archbishop will lead the Marian Pilgrimage of the Syro-Malabar Church in Ireland to the International Divine Mercy Marian Pilgrimage Center in Knock, which is filled with the presence of the Holy Mother, on Saturday 11th May.
Adoration of the Holy Eucharist will be held at Knock Basilica at 10 am on Saturday, followed by a solemn Syro Malabar Holy Mass and a devotional procession. Major Archbishop Mar Raphael Atthill will be the officiant. The European Apostolic Visitor of the Syro-Malabar Church, Bishop Mar Stephen Chirapanam, and the Irish National Coordinator of the Syro-Malabar Church, Fr. Joseph Oliyakatt and the entire Syro-Malabar clergy in Ireland will participate in the pilgrimage.
Carrying flags, pearl umbrellas, gold and silver crosses and images of the Mother of God and saints, the procession will be a celebration of the faith of the Syro-Malabar Diaspora community in Ireland, singing prayer songs. Devotee organizations of the Ireland Syro Malabar Sabha such as Mathruvedi, Pithruvedi, Althara Balasakhyam, Cherupushpam Mission League (CML) and Syro Malabar Youth Movement (SMYM) will join the procession. Children who have received their first communion this year from various communion centers in Ireland will receive Holy Communion from the Major Archbishop at the Knock Pilgrimage.
The Catechism Scholarship will be awarded to children who have achieved high marks in the Irish Living Cert (A Level - Northern Ireland) and Junior Cert (GCSE -Northen Ireland) exams and large Irish families with five or more children. Prize distribution for National level winners in Bible Quiz Competition will also be held on the occasion.
Preparations for the Knock Marian Pilgrimage have been completed under the leadership of Syro Malabar ChurchNational Pastoral Council and various Mass Centers. Thousands from 37 parishes in Ireland and Northern Ireland will gather at Knock Basilica. The church leadership announced that they prayerfully welcome all the faithful in Ireland to participate in the Knock Marian Pilgrimage.