The historic St Mary's Jacobite Syrian Cathedral in Manarcad, one of the most prominent Marian pilgrim centres in India, is all set to host its annual eight-day lent festival (Ettunombu Perunnal) starting from 1 September. The festival, which draws hundreds of thousands of devotees from across the globe, will culminate in the solemn "Nadathurakkal" ritual on 7 September.

On all festival days, special Eucharistic services will be held. In the lower church, the three-altar mass (Moonnimel Qurbana) will be celebrated at 3 am, followed by the five-altar mass (Anjimel Qurbana) at 6 am under the leadership of various metropolitans of the Syrian Jacobite Church. Daily sermons will be held from 11 am to 12 pm, and from 2:30 pm to 4 pm, followed by devotional discourses between 6:30 pm and 8 pm. Holy mass will also be offered daily at the Karoote (upper) chapel at 6 am.

Opening day events
The festival will officially commence on 1 September with the ceremonial flag-hoisting. The morning holy mass will be led by Thomas Mar Alexandrayos at the Karoote chapel and Dr Thomas Mar Timotheos at the lower church. The procession carrying the traditional wooden flagstaff will start at 2 pm from the residence of Varghese Kuruvila at Chiratteparambil, Manarcad. Accompanied by traditional percussion orchestras, the procession will reach the cathedral, where Dr Thomas Mar Timotheos will hoist the festival flag at 4:30 pm.

Special masses and dignitaries
Metropolitans including Yuhanon Mar Milithios, Geevarghese Mar Stephanos, Poulose Mar Irenious, Mathews Mar Aprem, and Isaac Mar Osthatheos will lead the holy Eucharistic services on the subsequent days at 8:30 am. Apart from the religious services, several social and cultural events have been lined up. On 4 September, MLA Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan will inaugurate the Merit Day and a special ceremony to honour elderly parents aged 80 and above. Cardinal Mar Baselios Cleemis Catholicos will deliver the keynote address. On 5 September, Opposition Leader VD Satheesan will inaugurate a public meeting, where Cardinal Mar George Alencherry will deliver the keynote speech.

The historic Nadathurakkal on 7 September
The highly anticipated "Nadathurakkal" — the ritual opening of the sanctuary containing the sacred portrait of the Virgin Mary holding the Child Jesus — will take place on 7 September at 11:30 am, following the midday prayers. Supreme Head of the Jacobite Syrian Church in India, Catholicos Baselios Thomas I, will lead the ceremony alongside Dr Kuryakose Mar Theophilos. The Catholicos will also lead the three-altar morning mass. Later in the day, at 1 pm, the "Panthinunazhi" procession for the traditional feast offering (Kari Nercha) will be held. Prior to this, on 6 September, Markose Mar Chrysostomos will lead the five-altar mass at 8:30 am, followed by a solemn procession to the nearby cross-shrines at 2 pm.

Conclusion of the festival
The eight-day festival will draw to a close on 8 September with a grand procession to the Karoote chapel at 2 pm, followed by the final blessing and distribution of the feast offerings. The sacred shrine will be closed on 14 September at 5 pm, marked by evening prayers on the feast of the Holy Cross (Sleeba Perunnal).

Preparations complete
Church officials, including co-vicar and programme convener J Mathew Manavath Corepiscopa, co-vicar Fr Litu Thandasseril, Deacon Dr Jithin Kurian Andrews Chiravathara, trustees EV Kuriakose Edasseril and PA Scariachan Pallath, secretary Thomas Oommen Pallathara, and Jacob Vazhathara, confirmed that all arrangements are in place to welcome the thousands of pilgrims visiting the shrine.