The Hindu : Kerala News : Maramon Convention concludes

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Feb 21, 2005

Kerala

Kerala

Maramon Convention concludes

By Our Staff Reporter

PATHANAMTHITTA, FEB. 20. The week-long annual Maramon Convention on the sandbed of river Pampa at Maramon, near Kozhencherry, came to a close with a call for complete surrender to the Almighty which will solve all the ills of modern world.

Thousands of faithful from different parts of the State thronged the Maramon sandbed today to attend the meet, which is billed as Asia's largest annual Christian congregation.

In his valedictory message, the head of the Malankara Mar Thoma Church, Philipose Mar Chrisostum Mar Thoma Metropolitan, said that the success of life was largely dependent on man's ability to take wise and appropriate decisions at the right time.

`Follow Christ's path'

``The Bible is by and large depiction of difficulties faced by the faithful who completely surrendered to the Almighty.

The life of Jesus Christ itself was full of difficulties.

It is noteworthy that life becomes meaningful only when we overcome its difficulties through submission to the God,'' Mar Chrisostum said.

Mar Chrisostum called upon the believers to make their life into a ``lively experience'' by following the path of Christ. He said that there is no meaning in sacrifice without being part of the social fabric.

``Those who live for others find life as a service to the Lord and becomes a human being in the true sense. A self-centred person can never be a human being,'' he said.

Eliminate vices

Mar Chrisostum said that the Cross symbolised elimination of vices and one cannot follow the path of Jesus without eliminating the vices.

He called upon the faithful to follow the path of Jesus and learn His Gospels to identify the vices in society.

Valsan Thambu, member of the National Commission for Minority Educational Institutions, delivered the keynote address.

Geevarghese Mar Athanaseus, president of the Mar Thoma Evangelical Association that organises the annual convention, presided over the function.

Lonappan Nambadan and P.J. Kurien, both MPs, M. Murali, Joseph M. Puthusserry, K.K. Shaju and Elizabeth Mammen, MLAs, the Kerala Youth Front (M) president, Jose K. Mani, and the Serifed chairman, Victor T. Thomas, were also present.

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