Glimpses of the Catholicate Centenary Year 2012

New Year 2012 was welcomed with the celebration of mid-night Holy Qurbana by H.G Dr. Mathews Mar Thimothios Metropolitan, which was followed by the handing/taking over ceremony of the Office Bearers. Our Cathedral won the first prize in Procession Competition and third prize in the Christmas tree competition conducted by K.C.E.C on 1st Jan 2011at Indian School.

Orientation program for Sunday school teachers were conducted on Jan 6th, which was led by Fr. Reji Dan Philipose (Assistant Vicar of Marthoma Parish) and also we hosted a Teenage Counseling Program organized by KCEC on 17th Jan at our Cathedral. An elocution competition was organized by OCYM on 24th Jan in the blessed memory of the Late Lamented Catholicos Baselios Marthoma Mathews II.

40th Day Sraadham of the Late Lamented Gee Varghese Mar Osthathios, Catholicate Day Celebrations & inauguration of Catholicate Centenary Celebrations were held at the Indian School on the 40th Friday of the Great Lent i.e. on 30th March. His Holiness Baselius Marthoma Paulose II, the Catholicos of the East and Malankara Metropolitan was the chief celebrant. The event concluded with a sumptuous Sraaddha Sadya.

The Chief celebrant for the Holy Week services was H.H Baselius Marthoma Paulose II Bava.

A medical Camp was organized by the Martha Mariam Samajam on 1st May, the world Labors Day.

Harvest Festival 2012 was conducted on 7th June at BKS. A blood donation camp was conducted at Salmaniya Medical Complex, organized by St. Thomas Orthodox Youth movement and 101 people donated their blood on 22nd June. As a part of Catholicate Centenary celebrations St. Pauls Prayer Unit conducted elocution competition on 28th June.
OVBS was conducted from 29th June to 6th of July followed Summer Fiesta 2012 held in the month of July August in which 70 teenage students took benefit.

Highlights of the yearlong Catholicate Centenary Celebrations

? Catholicate Centenary Calendar 2012- Released in January.

? Catholicate Centenary Marian Housing Scheme for the benefit of needy members of the Cathedral was launched and later awarded to three deserving Cathedral members.

? Official inauguration of the Centenary Celebrations was done by H.H the Catholicos Paulose II in March.

? A liturgical song competition was conducted in April organized by Martha Mariam Vanitha Samajam.

? An essay writing competition was conducted in May organized by Divya Bodhanam.

? Centenary Pilgrimage to visit the churches founded by St. Thomas, the tombs of the Catholicoi and other centers of the Church, from 26 -28 July, in which 40 people participated under the leadership of the Vicar Rev. Fr. Jacob Koshy

? Nikkos Quiz Time, the Centenary Quiz Contest was conducted in September, organized by OCYM.

? On the day of remembrance of Establishment of Catholicate at Malankara, i.e. September 15, the Sunday School choir started functioning with Holy Qurbana in English.

? A medical camp was organized by the managing committee at the Bahrain Keraleeya Samajam on the 12th of October wherein around 1000 people utilized the facilities and services of about 42 expert doctors and 100 medical and Para medical staffs This was a unique event of its kind ever in the Kingdom.

? A Graphic Exhibition of the Church History depicting the developments, divisions and other important events in the Christendom with special focus on the History of the Indian Church was organized by the Sunday School.

? Church History awareness program was conducted by Managing Committee where, the Very Rev. Mathai Idayanal Cor Episcopo was the speaker.

? A quiz program in English was conducted on 13th November for the Cathedral teenagers, organized by St. Marys Gaveliers.

? The Catholicate Centenary Sunday School Choir, Bahrain was officially inaugurated on 28thNovember by the Diocesan Metropolitan H.G. Gee Varghese Mar Coorilos.

? Catholicate Centenary Celebrations Grand Finale was held at the Indian school on 30th November after Holy Qurbana, presided over by H.G. Geevarghese Mar Coorilos, the Diocesan Metropolitan. H.E. Mrs. Sameera Rajab (Minister of Information, Kingdom of Bahrain) and H. E. Dr. Mohan Kumar, the Ambassador of India to Bahrain were the chief guests. Dr. George Joseph (Secretary, the Malankara Syrian Christian Association) was the guest of honor. The public meeting was preceded by a colorful procession with plots and displays of historic events and culture.

? A colorful Manuscript Souvenir was published by the MGOCSM and released in the Finale Public Meeting.

? An educative Documentary on the history of the Catholicate was produced by the Youth Movement.

? The revised edition of the Cathedral Directory was released on the Grand Finale.

? A Smaranika named Baselian dedicated to the Catholicoi of the Church was released to mark the event.

? A drama depicting the life and mission of St. Thomas in Indais was staged by members of the Cathedral

Our cathedral hosted a Teenage Meet organized by K.C.E.C on 26th October.This was followed by a Student Empowerment and Guidance Program for the teenagers organized by M.G.O.C.S.M, in association with the Sunday School and was led by Rev Fr. Ashwin Fernandis, Mumbai.

Awareness and propagation of Koonan Kurishu Project, Mattancherry was conducted on 21st December by Mr. John Samuel Abu Dhabi (Gen. Convener, KK Project) at our Cathedral.

The OCYM conducted medical awareness and counseling on Pediatric Heart diseases.

Cathedral day, Christmas celebrations and spiritual organizations annual day was celebrated together on 29th December at the Bahrain Keraleeya Samajam followed by our Cathedral participation in the New Year procession competition and in Christmas tree competition conducted by K.C.E.C at Indian School and won First prize for both the events.