Chandanappally church swaps fireworks for a home and hope

Every year, the annual feast at St. George Orthodox Valiyapally in Chandanappally would dazzle devotees with a spectacular fireworks display. This year, however, the parish chose to light up lives instead of the night sky.

The money that would once have gone up in smoke has been transformed into a home for an elderly couple. Named Sneha Bhavanam (House of Love), the house will be blessed at a ceremony scheduled for 3.30 p.m. on July 5.

According to the parish committee, the initiative was inspired by a call from Malankara Orthodox Church head Baselios Marthoma Mathews III Catholicos, who urged parishes to forgo fireworks in the wake of the Mundakkai fireworks tragedy and redirect the money towards building homes for deserving families. Responding to the appeal, the parish’s expatriate community completed the house in just 60 days. The new home features two bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen and a bathroom, while also fulfilling the elderly couple’s long-cherished wish for a traditional tiled roof, parish authorities said.

Besides giving up its customary fireworks display, a highlight of the annual feast, the parish also chose to reduce the spending on its expatriate gathering and diverted the savings to build the house. Describing the initiative as a shining reflection of the Church’s true mission, the Catholicos said its greatest strength lies not in grand festivities but in extending compassion and hope to those in need.

“By choosing to celebrate with simplicity, Chandanappally Valiyapally and its parish community have sent a powerful message to society that scaling down festivities can transform and illuminate the lives of the less fortunate,” he said.

Other parishes too

Popularly known as Valiyapally, the parish is the first to respond to the ‘Compassion Challenge’ launched by the Catholicos, which encourages churches to redirect money traditionally spent on fireworks towards humanitarian initiatives. In doing so, it has turned a festive tradition into a beacon of social responsibility and compassionate service.

Inspired by the Catholicos’ appeal, several other parishes under the Orthodox Church have also pledged to replace fireworks with acts of charity. Among them are St. George Orthodox Church, Puthuppally; St. George Orthodox Maha Edavaka, Konni; St. Peter’s Church, Karoor; Elampallikkal St. George Church, Adoor; and St. George Church, Karippuzha, Mavelikara. Each has announced plans to redirect the funds traditionally earmarked for fireworks during annual feasts towards charitable initiatives.