By Matters India Reporter
Bolpur: Over the past five years, Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore’s Shantiniketan in the Bolpur town of West Bengal has added a tourist attraction — the Infant Jesus Church of Makrampur.
The church has become a pilgrim center in Bhirbhum district attracting people from various religions, especially after Pope Francis declared the Jubilee Year of Mercy.
The Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy was a Catholic period of prayer held from December 8, 2015, the feast of the Immaculate Conception, to November 20, 2016, the Feast of Christ the King.
The Makrampur church decor has incorporated predominantly Santhal cultural themes and motifs.
This year the patronal feast is being held on February 2 with the inauguration of the open air Stations of the Cross with some 54 life size statues depicting the incidents in the final journey of Jesus carrying his cross to be Crucified on Calvary hill.
The celebrations were preceded by a triduum – three days of solemn prayers — from January 30.
“The pandemic has not deterred us in the practice and exercise of our Christian faith,” says Bolpur parish priest Father Anthony Raj.
“In fact, all of us had a great time renewing the relations in the family, society and the church at large,” emphasises Fr Raj who belongs to Asansol diocese.
“It was during the pandemic times that in our Parish Pastoral Council,” Father Raj recalls, “we decided to put up the Stations of the Cross and a Grotto dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes.”
The priest also said: “In spite of the severe financial difficulties we faced during the nationwide lockdown, I trusted the divine providence, and launched a campaign to raise funds.”
“An initial contribution from one of my friends Prakash Reddy, gave me the boost to start the project work. It was his and my family and friends and contributions of the parishioners which enabled me to complete the work,” tells Father Raj.
The high point of the February 2 celebrations was the blessing of the Stations of the Cross by the Apostolic Administrator of Asansol diocese Bishop Emeritus Salvadore Lobo and Our Lady of Lourdes grotto by Bishop Emeritus Cyprian Monis of Asansol.
The life size statues were made and installed by Church Art in Kolkata under the supervision of Subrata Ganguly of Lokenath Engineering Kolkata.
Father Raj hopes and prays that the Church becomes a shrine and attract more devotees and people from all over Asansol diocese as well as the neighbouring dioceses so that they experience God’s love and care in the pilgrim center.
From May 1981, Salesians from Joypur, Suri parish looked after Bolpur mission and Salesian Father Cyriac Manianchira purchased a plot of land to develop the Bolpur mission. In 1993, Salesians handed over Bolpur subdivision to the Archdiocese of Calcutta and Father Valerian Fernandes was appointed first priest-in-Charge.
Later Father Robert D’ Souza moved to the new community center which was blessed by Bishop Cyprian Monis on February 7, 1997, and erected into a parish on July 4, 1999.