Scottish Catholic Observer

Scotland has seen colourful celebrations by the Syro-Malabar Catholic community this summer, with more still to come.

The celebration of the Feast of St Alphonsa took place in St Andrews and Edinburgh Archdiocese last month (Sunday July 26) and Motherwell Diocese is about to host another celebration.

Attended by pilgrims from across the UK, the celebrations in Livingston saw Holy Mass take place in St Andrew’s Church with a procession afterwards around the Craigshill area, ending with celebrations and an Indian meal in the nearby Riverside Primary School.

“With God’s grace everything went very well,” said Fr Sebastian Thuruthippillil, chaplain to the St Andrews and Edinburgh Syro-Malabar Community. “More than 500 people attended the Solemn Mass and procession thereafter.”

St Alphonsa (1910-46), a Syro-Malabar Franciscan nun, was the first native Indian saint following her canonization in 2008. Tracing its origins to St Thomas the Apostle, the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church is one of 23 Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the See of Rome, and its liturgy follows the Eastern Syrian Rite. Today worldwide, there are around 4.6 million Syro-Malabar Catholics.

The Syro-Malabar community will celebrate Mass with Bishop William Nolan of Galloway on Sunday August 16 at 3.45pm in St Bride’s Church, Cambuslang in Motherwell Diocese.

Pic: Stanley