Friday 28 February 2014

The gaudy church of Saint Gregorius, Manapilly, Vypin Island ...





Driving through Kerala, glancing through the tinted windows of the Toyota Innova, I'd noticed many gaudy churches - I'd see a pristine white facade, a statue of a bearded saint, or a spooky Virgin, with a neon crown - women in blue saris would be streaming out of the mysterious nave -

A few yards away from a church, I'd see a mosque, or a Hindu temple - I might see a statue of a purple God or Goddess -

I pondered upon the legend of St Thomas - we'd seen, at sunset, where the Apostle had landed in Kerala - bats flew over the church built upon the site -

One morning, whilst we were still dreaming and feasting in Marco's house, we found that we needed a new breeze block of rupees -

After we'd visited the ATM, the auto rickshaw driver suggested we visit the church of Saint Gregorius -

We walked across a scorched compound - shiny doors opened onto a vivid interior - painted upon the ceiling, above the stilled fans, were billowing clouds, parting to reveal a colossal dove -

Gorgeous altar cloths caught my eye - the grave saint looked down at me from his portrait - oil lamps flared -

There were no chairs or pews - I felt the floor sway beneath me - I thought of the words from the 1662 Book of Common Prayer - Almighty  God, unto to whom all hearts are open, all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hid -





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