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51 booths will be set up to commemorate UAE National Day and India’s 75th anniversary
photo provided
After two years, thousands of Christian expats in Abu Dhabi are preparing to celebrate the annual Harvest Festival in person – a traditional event marked by prayers and a feast of fresh produce on Sunday.
St. George’s Orthodox Cathedral, one of the oldest churches in Abu Dhabi, was decorated with lights to mark the occasion. Metropolitan Jacob Mar Elias of the diocese of Brahmawar, part of the Orthodox Syrian Church of Malankala, has arrived from the Indian state of Kerala to preside over the event.
“This will be our 44th year running the Harvest Festival. For the past two years it has been held virtually due to the Covid-19 situation. So after a long time, all our members will be in person at the church to celebrate the occasion. It will be a special occasion,” the Mets told reporters at a news conference.
To mark the 75th anniversary of India’s Independence and the 51st National Day of the UAE, the Indian Orthodox Church will be setting up 51 stalls during the festival.
“We will have 51 stalls, 25 of which will be serving food. We expect up to 5,000 people to attend throughout the festival from afternoon to evening,” said Father Eldho M Paul of St. George’s Orthodox Cathedral.
Dr. Balaji Ramaswamy, Counselor at the Indian Embassy in Abu Dhabi, and former Indian cricketer S. Sreesanth will join in the festivities. There will be stage performances, music, games, entertainment, homemade and organic food, as well as varieties of Arabic and North Indian cuisine and the popular ‘nellikai sharbat’ (gooseberry juice).
Alternatively, the Mar Thoma Church in Abu Dhabi will host the festival at Musaffah on Sunday. The day will begin with an 8 a.m. communion service, with parishioners offering fresh fruit and dishes to the church. By late afternoon, the festival will kick off with an energetic parade, followed by a program on the theme ‘Renewal of Life and the Joy of Redemption’ and celebrations of UAE National Day.
Vicar Jiju Joseph will moderate the event. There will be 40 food stalls inside the church serving Kerala based cuisine and various other dishes. Apart from food stalls, ‘Yuvajana Sakhyam’, Youth Corps’ ‘Thattukada’ (street food carts), music, dance, short films, games and prizes to be won will be other highlights.
“Proceeds from the festival will be used for various social activities of the church,” Pastor Joseph said at a news conference.
Meanwhile, the Abu Dhabi Diocese of the Church of South India (CSI) organized a harvest festival earlier this month with great participation from its members. The festival is held at the Mar Thoma Church. Lalji M Philip, Vicar of the CSI Diocese of Abu Dhabi, noted that there were several stalls selling home-cooked food, street food, live cooking, entertainment for children and more.
The new CSI Chapel is expected to open soon in Abu Mreikhah, next to the UAE’s first traditional Hindu temple.
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