Meghalaya’s churches will observe the first Indian Christian Day on July 3, along with fellow believers across all denominations in the country.
The move to celebrate this day was spearheaded by a group of Indian Christians across the country of various professions, from clergy to the lay members of the Church. In the North East, a coordination committee was constituted comprising Christian leaders from all eight states, drawing from clergy, laymen, women and youth.
July 3 is observed as the death anniversary of Thomas the Apostle, who is believed to have been martyred near Chennai in 72 AD.
“We firmly believe that in such a time like this, when the nation is going through unprecedented challenges, it is necessary that all Christians, irrespective of denominational affiliation, who all value the contribution of Christians to India, come together in solidarity and observe the Indian Christian Day initiatives as Indian Christians,” a press release from the North East coordination committee said today.
The idea behind observation of ICD is to reaffirm that Christianity has its roots in India since the first century AD and is not simply a western import.
“Secondly, there is a need for Christians to be aware of their responsibility towards nation building and duty towards society. We are also acknowledging the contributions made by Christians in various fields – and the great potential we have to do more good for our beloved nation,” the release added.
This day will also see the launch of a decade of Indian Christian celebration (2021-30), concluding to correspond with the 2000th year of the earthly ministry and service of Jesus Christ and the birth of Christianity.
With the current restrictions due to Covid-19 pandemic, the programmes on July 3 will be online, with live-streaming on virtual platforms at the regional level, national and global forums. The event in the North East is scheduled from 3:30pm to 5:00pm. Those interested to attend need to register at https://bit.ly/ICD-NER to receive further details. The national event is scheduled at 6:00pm on the same day.
