The faithful of St. Mary’s Syro Malabar Community Graz gathered in prayer and devotion to celebrate Palm Sunday (Oshana Njayar), marking the solemn beginning of Holy Week.
The Holy Qurbana in the Syro-Malabar rite (Malayalam) was reverently celebrated by our Vicar, Fr. Joel Koyikkara, who also led the Palm Sunday prayers. The celebration reflected deep spiritual preparation as the community entered into the sacred days leading to Easter.
The homily was delivered by Fr. Tino Joseph, who offered a meaningful and thought-provoking message. He emphasized the importance of Holy Week and encouraged the faithful to prepare themselves spiritually, reflecting on Christ’s sacrifice and striving to become good shepherds in their daily lives.
A special highlight of the celebration was the distribution of traditional “Kuruthola” (young coconut leaves), sourced from Kerala, India. This beautiful tradition brought a deep connection to our roots and added cultural richness to the liturgy.
The Vicar expressed heartfelt gratitude to the parish committee, altar servers, and choir for their dedicated efforts and coordination, which contributed to the solemn and prayerful atmosphere of the celebration.
The active participation of the faithful made this Palm Sunday a spiritually enriching experience, setting the tone for a meaningful Holy Week journey.
