Eco concerns raised at Maramon Convention

PATHANAMTHITTA: The week-long Maramon Convention, organised by the Mar Thoma Evangelistic Association (MTEA) attached to the Mar Thoma Syrian Church of Malabar on the riverbed of the Pampa at Maramon near Kozhencherry, began on Sunday afternoon with a fervent plea to conserve environment. Inaugurating the meet, Joseph Mar Thoma Metropolitan, head of the church, laid emphasis on the grave need to protect environment at a time when climate change was causing grave concerns. He said nature had been exposed to the worst kind of exploitation in the modern times.

Global warming and frequent earthquakes were the resultant ill effects of man’s excessive exploitation of nature, he added. The Metropolitan called upon the faithful to practice evangelism in life. Philipose Mar Chrysostum, Senior Metropolitan, led the prayers. Presiding over the inaugural function, MTEA president Zacharias Mar Theophilus Suffragan Metropolitan said turning to the gospel of Jesus Christ was the need of the hour. He said society should wake up to stop violence and the church was willing to work for the deliverance of those addicted to liquor. He added that the government too should make necessary intervention in this regard. Rev Martin Alphons, an evangelist from the U.S., delivered the religious discourse. The week-long convention concludes on February 21. The annual Christian religious congregation is billed as the largest Christian congregation in Asia.

Source: The Hindu, Dated: 15.02.2010