By Purushottam Nayak
Raikia, Nov 26, 2019: Children of Kandhamal survivors received First Holy Communion on November 24, the feast of Christ the King.
About 5,000 Catholics from different parts of Kandhamal gathered at Raikia to celebrate the feast.
The main celebrant was Archbishop John Barwa of Cuttack-Bhubaneswar. The special guest was Father Stephen Alathara, deputy secretary general of Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) who came to witness the faith of Kandhamal survivors.
The Kandhamal survivors entertained Archbishop Barwa and Father Alathara with dancing and singing.
“The kings in the world came and disappeared but our King Lord Jesus Christ came and lived all over the World,” Archbishop Barwa told the gathering.
We reveal this King in our behavior, attitude and we become faithful subjects of faithful King, added the Divine Word prelate.
The people of Kandhamal underwent persecution, threat, agony, they were ready to sacrifice even unto death to witness this King of Peace and justice continued the prelate.
Bonsidhar Pradhan, father of a First Communion receiver, said he was “extremely happy because my daughter receives First Holy Communion.”
Kalpona Digal was one of the children who lost her father in the 2008 anti-Christian persecution.
“My father would have been happy to see me receiving First Holy Communion but he was brutally killed in the anti-Christian violence of 2008,” she told Matters India.
Kandhamal’s 29 substations collected 634,796 rupees on November 24, the Mission Sunday. The Raika parish that witnessed the worst anti-Christian violence, contributed highest mission collection in the archdiocese.
“Church in India is grateful to Kandhamal for the contribution to the Universal Church. The faith of Kandhamal is really inspiring to every Christian in the modern era,” said Father Alathara.
Thousands of people with lighted candles participated in the Eucharistic Procession through the town in the evening.