Mumbai (AsiaNews) – After 50 years, the bell of the Catholic Church in Srinagar, Kashmir, will toll again and call the faithful.
The old bell was destroyed in a fire that gutted the bell tower of the Holy Family Catholic Church on 7 July 1967
The ceremony of blessing will take place on 29 October and will be officiated by the pastor, Fr Roy Matthews.
The church dates back to 1896, during the British colonial era. The new bell was donated by a Kashmiri Christian family and at 105 kilograms it will be the largest of its kind in the state.
The event is seen a historic occasion for the tiny Christian community of the Indian state, where Islam is the main religion. For Kashmir, the celebration marks an important moment.
The state has been disputed by India and Pakistan since partition in 1947 and has been the scene of wars and tensions, even in recent months.
Local Christians believe it will provide an opportunity to reiterate the pluralistic spirit that has always distinguished the residents of the state.
The blessing will take place in an interreligious ceremony, in the presence of representatives of all faiths. Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs will listen together with the Christian brothers and sisters the first tolling of the bell.
"Leaders of all religions will ring the bell together,” said Syndey Rath, a local parishioner, speaking to AsiaNews. “It will be a small gesture of love and affection by the tiny community, which will share the privilege [of tolling the bell].”
