Conflict thousands of miles away has turned killjoy for a section of the city’s Christians, depriving them of an opportunity to go on their annual pilgrimage to Syria.
Jacobite Syrian Christians, who owe allegiance to the Syriac Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch, are a disturbed lot these days, what with the West Asian country caught in strife.
“Previously, annual pilgrimage packages covering Bethlehem, Jerusalem and Syria would be offered by a few travel agents at concessional rates. For two years now, conflict-ridden Syria has been removed from the offer,” said Tara Eapen, a member of the community.
Jacobite Syrian Christians from Kerala settled in the city about 60 years ago, and have a small number. A member of the community, Raju Eapen puts the number of families here at less than 250, distributed across three churches.
Full report here:
City’s Syrian Christians disappointed as trouble-torn Syria off pilgrim map – The Hindu