Thiruvananthapuram, Oct 1 — The decision to invite Malayalam superstar Mammootty as the chief guest at an event connected with the annual feast of St. Gregorios of Parumala has triggered tension and raised questions within sections of the Kottayam headquartered Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church.
Mammootty will be the chief guest at the concluding public meeting of the pilgrimage week being held as part of the 124th remembrance feast of St. Gregorios of Parumala.
The meeting will be held at the Parumala church premises in Pathanamthitta district at 3 p.m. on November 1.
The supreme head of the church, Catholicos of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, Baselios Marthoma Mathews III, will inaugurate the meeting.
The programme marks the culmination of the pilgrimage week and the gathering of pilgrims arriving from different parts of the state.
The invitation to Mammootty has now led to a debate within sections of the Church community over the choice of a film personality as the chief guest at a programme associated with one of the most important pilgrimage centres of the Church.
The issue has been raised in messages being circulated among church groups.
The argument is not directed at Mammootty personally, with the messages acknowledging his stature as an actor and his charitable activities.
The concern being raised is about the nature of the venue and the precedent that such an invitation could create for future church festivals.
Parumala is the resting place of St. Gregorios, one of the most revered saints of the Malankara Orthodox Church.
The annual feast attracts large numbers of pilgrims and is centred on prayers, worship and religious observances.
The messages question whether the presence of a major film personality as the chief guest could bring an element of celebrity culture into a predominantly religious pilgrimage programme.
They also argue that such a precedent could make it difficult for Church leaders to subsequently advise parishes against excessive pomp and celebrity-oriented celebrations during church feasts.
The issue comes at a time when the Church has also been highlighting charitable and social initiatives as part of its feast programmes.
During last year's pilgrimage week, the Church announced a project to provide houses for 100 families, describing it as an alternative to celebrations.
The Church leadership has yet to publicly explain the specific reasons for choosing Mammootty as the chief guest for this year's concluding programme.
Mammootty has maintained close public links with charitable initiatives and was recently praised by the Catholicos for supporting a venture benefiting children.
The invitation has therefore opened a wider discussion within the Church on the balance between public outreach and preserving the essentially spiritual character of major pilgrimage celebrations.