By Jessy Joseph

New Delhi: Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has applauded a Catholic parish for allowing the cremation of Hindu Covid victim in its cemetery.

“The action of Edathua church to allow the pyre of a Covid -19 patient, who was not a member of the parish, is laudable,” Vijayan told a press conference on May 27 while briefing the coronavirus situation in the southern Indian state.

Srinivasan Puthenpurayil, an 86-year-old Hindu migrant from Tamil Nadu, was cremated on May 25 in the cemetery of St George Church at Edathua in Kerala’s Alappuzha district.

The man’s five family members were in quarantine after they were tested Covid positive.

“Due to heavy rain their residence and premises were waterlogged and there was no public crematorium in our place,” said Father Mathew Chooravady, the vicar of Edathua Church.

The man’s relatives and a panchayat member approached the church for help.

“After consulting the parish council team, we have decided to give our space for the cremation,” the 66-year-old priest told Matters India over phone on May 28.

The parish has launched various ways to help those affected by the coronavirus pandemic.

“Food distribution, medical help and awareness programs are some of them,” Father Chooravady explained.

The priest said the cremation of the Hindu man was “the need of the hour,” and “our facilities should not be limited only to our community during crisis like this.”

Christians, he added, “should spread the love and compassion to the suffering community around us, we are called to spread the Gospel values.”

The parish ha already conducted 13 cremations of its members this year. The ashes are sealed and buried later. The church uses eco-friendly LPG system for cremation, the priest explained.

Father Chooravady joined the Covid response team of the parish and the local administrative team to conduct the cremations.

Joji Nellikunnathu, a parishioner, said the parish gesture shows that “our church reaches out to all, especially the poor and marginalized,” and “we are happy that the Church is with the people at the time of need.”

This is the second time the Edathua’s church drew the chief minister’s attention for its Covid activities. On April 27, the church abandoned the 211-year-old tradition of celebrating its patron saint’s feast in view of the pandemic.

The parish has some 2,500 catholic families.