St. Thomas Church Dubai to mark golden jubilee finale

dubai — The grand finale of the year-long Golden Jubilee celebrations of St. Thomas Orthodox Cathedral in Dubai will be held on December 28 at the church premises.

The supreme head of the Orthodox Syrian Church, Moran Mor Baselios Mar Thoma Paulose II Catholicos, will inaugurate the public meeting at 6pm.

The public meeting, to be presided over by Dr. Yuhanon Mar Demetrius, Metropolitan of Delhi Diocese, will be a tribute to the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, founding father of the nation, to mark the Year of Zayed celebrations. Major General Abdullah Khalifa Al Marri, Commander-in-Chief of the Dubai Police, will inaugurate ‘Year of Tolerance @ St. Thomas Orthodox Cathedral’.

Other dignitaries to attend the event, which is expected to draw 6,000 people, include Sunny Varkey, chairman of GEMS Education; film actors and members of the Indian Parliament Suresh Gopi and Innocent; Neeraj Agrawal, head of chancery, CGI Dubai, according to vicar of the parish Rev Ninan Philip.

The Catholicos will honour Varkey for his varied contributions as an educator and philanthropist. Ghanim Al Falsi, senior vice-president of corporate services — Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority, will release of golden jubilee souvenir by presenting to Bishop Gabriel Mar Gregorios, metropolitan of Thiruvananthapuram Diocese.

The public meeting will be followed by a musical concert by Kester, a renowned south Indian singer, said Fr. Saju Thomas, assistant vicar.