It was a new awakening for the faithful as this flash mob made a pious entry to the precincts of the cathedral, under the auspice of the Orthodox Vacation Bible School.Does the church deem it unholy to shake a leg at the altar? An emphatic 'no' would be the answer from those who attended the Sunday mass at Mar Elia Cathedral, Kottayam. They barely knew what awaited them this Sunday. As the mass ended, there was a sudden spurt of music and a sprightly little girl started dancing amid the crowd. Two others joined her and then, more. In minutes, there were 10 girls, all in uniform costume, dancing in unison.
It was a new awakening for the faithful as this flash mob made a pious entry to the precincts of the cathedral, under the auspice of the Orthodox Vacation Bible School(OVBS).
Father Mathew Koshy, 43, the director of OVBS, Kottayam, conceived and executed the idea to attract children to Sunday schools. He thought of this thematic plan to 'amuse and attract' children after noticing a considerable fall in enrollment.
The idea is to attract children to vacation bible classes that would start in April.
“We intend to attract the next generation to our age-old platform. Unless we make sure that we cater to their interests, there is no point in blaming children for not showing an interest in bible education. No religious platform would flourish if it does not employ the tools suited for the new generation," Father Koshy says.
The flash mob which started at 9:30 am lasted for about five minutes. It used the recomposed version of a devotional song. Father Koshy sought the help of an external choreographer to train the children, who are students of Mar Elia Sunday school, Manganam Ebenezer Sunday school and Catholicate Sunday school Devalokam.
“I know it is too early to advertise our vacation classes. Children are all caught in the exam fever and the vacation mood is yet to set in. But this is probably the first time that a church has employed such a contemporary item for a religious cause. I wanted to ensure that others who wish to employ the same technique get enough time to coordinate and plan their events,” Father Koshy says.
Fr Koshy says tuition classes and academic coaching programs are eating into valuable free time the youngsters had. “Kids hardly get free time to gather around and play. Sunday schools offer a platform to create a community feeling among children. There are several virtues and moral values children learn from a Sunday school environment. The newer generation is devoid of such a community feeling,” he added.
Father Koshy's flash mob was a hit on social media too. There are messages lauding the innovative idea. While some flash mobs in Kerala had evoked criticism from orthodox religious organizations, the Mar Elia mob is turning out to be a new leaf in tolerance and acceptance.
OVBS says around 60,000 children attain bible education in their Sunday classes and vacation schools across the state.
“I'm sure dance and music would impress children regardless of their cultural, academic and financial backgrounds. Children are children wherever they come from. OVBS is already getting phone calls inquiring about the registration dates,” says Father Koshy.
As the church too opens up to Gen-Next ideas to woo the young, it could be song and dance all the way.
