Latest to Pak: A Christian pilgrimage from Kashmir

‘‘We would take just one busload of pilgrims via Wagah,’’ said Fr. Celestine, Bishop of Jammu-Srinagar Diocese, after being back from a week long stay in Lahore. The shrine located at Mariamabad in Shekhupura, 100 km west of Lahore, is believed to have healing powers. The three day festival at the shrine of the Mother of Jesus from September 9 draws devouts from all over Pakistan and it’s when the Catholics from J&K would try to join them.‘‘This pilgrimage would be another attempt at making people-to-people contacts between the two neighbours,’’ the Bishop said.

Peter Celestine says like Kashmiri Muslims who were divided by the partition and the LoC, thousands of Christian families had also suffered the same fate. ‘‘I met a large number of Christians who were longing to meet their split families in Jammu,’’ the Rev. Father said.

Interestingly, the Church in J&K had also suffered the pangs of partition. The Lahore diocese was the apex authority under which the churches in Jammu and Kashmir fell. After the partition, it took four years for the Church to establish the Jammu-Srinagar diocese. For this reason Bishop Celestine says his journey was ‘‘like that of a separated son who meets his mother after nearly six decades.’’

Pakistan has some one million Christians, who, as Bishop Celestine says, ‘‘are living with some complexes of being a uncared for minority in an Islamic country.’’The instances of persecution haunt them.

Fr. Babu Joseph said the CBCI would extend full support for the pilgrimage as it ‘‘is aimed at promoting friendship between the two neighbours.’’