The Chapel in the Roha valley

The chapel

We were tired by the time we finished our tour of the place, but Thirumeni was not. "Lets have the noon prayer" the bishop told us. We went into the chapel that was opened for us as Thirumeni went to get his black cloak(kuppayam) which is part of the official attire of the bishop for services of the Church.

It was a nice small chapel. I noted how Thirumeni, who had a lot more room and amenities like air conditioning etc in the different chapels, churches and cathedrals in Mumbai where he is the Metropolitan was completely at home at the simple chapel here.

As part of the order of prayers during the Lent time, we have the prostration (Kumbideel) 40 times which we all participate in. I watched as Thirumeni led us in each of those, even though HG was not in the best of health. I noticed a couple of old ladies, from the Old Age Home there also participating in the prayers. Cincy Kochamma, whom I had just met, wife of the achen in charge of the Community, Rev. Fr. Thomas B.M. was right in the forefront in the prayers, even though she had been brought up outside Kerala.I later asked her how she managed Malayalam so well. She replied, it was her strict upbringing at home and also later at the Seminary. I later came to know that she had also graduated from the Nagpur Theological Seminary! Wow! I thought. It was nice to meet her and achen, I had seen them on FaceBook but it was great to know more about them.

Thirumeni had earlier mentioned that since a few years now, Thirumeni was based here during the Three Day Fast (Moonu Nombu) a time of fasting prescribed by the Church about 3 weeks before the beginning of the Great Lent. And this chapel had been the setting for different retreats and conventions during the time. The local congregation which is quite small would come and worship at this chapel as well.

paintings at the chapel

I heard from Thirumeni how in this year's retreat during the Three Day Fast, which had just finished in January, there was a sermon by a lady from Vashi, who had been a person of great conviction in her faith, and who had been born a Hindu but baptized into the Church later. I later got the opportunity to meet this lady in Vashi, and could see what Thirumeni had meant - and how her message would have glowed and touched many in this little chapel at the time.
After the noon prayer, we kissed the hands of the bishop, and as I walked out I watched the different paintings of icons lined against the walls of the chapel.