March 29, 2024 10:33 (IST)
Follow us:
facebook-white sharing button
twitter-white sharing button
instagram-white sharing button
youtube-white sharing button
PM Modi has mastered art of manipulating democracy, hurting Constitution: Mallikarjun Kharge | Mafia-turned-politician Mukhtar Ansari dies of cardiac arrest at 63 | NIA arrests key conspirator in Bengaluru cafe blast case | Actor Govinda returns to politics after 14 years of 'vanvas', joins Eknath Shinde camp | 'To browbeat and bully others is vintage Congress culture': PM posts after 600 lawyers write to CJI
Bandel Church Prior appeals for peace, harmony

Bandel Church Prior appeals for peace, harmony

India Blooms News Service | | 16 Apr 2017, 01:40 pm
Bandel, WB, Apr 16 (IBNS): Delivering his Easter message on Sunday, Fr T L Francis, the head priest of Marian Shrine (Bandel Church), in West Bengal appealed to people to live life with peace and harmony while keeping an attitude of forgiveness and tolerance towards others.

Delivering his Easter message, the prior said, “Forgiveness and tolerance towards others as the practical way of loving and living in peace and harmony with each others. Whatever be our religion or culture forgiveness is the only path for peaceful co-existence.”

The Marian Shrine at Bandel, 60-km from Kolkata in Hooghly district of West Bengal, was established by Portuguese missionaries in 1599 on the banks of the Hooghly River.

The 63-year-old prior spoke to pilgrims to the shrine as the Church began the Holy Week when Christians commemorate events related the last days of Jesus Christ.

The priest’s Good Friday and Easter messages came in the backdrop of recent incidents of religious intolerance from some parts of the country.

The prior’s message was in sync with that of Pope Francis’ words: “Forgiveness and tolerance can be achieved only by works of peace.”

A significant visual treat awaits visitors to the Shrine since Good Friday which includes a 10-feet high and seven-feet wide mural of “Resurrected Christ” on the left side of the isle near the altar of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.

“The mural is a unique piece of art executed in bronze finish and the only-of-its-kind installed in entire eastern India,” said Subrata Ganguly, whose firm Church Art has recently created may art work for the Shrine including a Stations of the Cross.

Church Art’s earlier artistic installations in Bandel Church include bronze finish church doors with liturgical symbols and figurines; open air Stations of the Cross with 54 life-size statues; relief work; musical fountain and others.

Thousands of visitors throng the Bandel Church during Easter and Christmas. 

Support Our Journalism

We cannot do without you.. your contribution supports unbiased journalism

IBNS is not driven by any ism- not wokeism, not racism, not skewed secularism, not hyper right-wing or left liberal ideals, nor by any hardline religious beliefs or hyper nationalism. We want to serve you good old objective news, as they are. We do not judge or preach. We let people decide for themselves. We only try to present factual and well-sourced news.

Support objective journalism for a small contribution.