Meltho Calendar 2020 on Liturgical Seasons, History of Icons Released
Chief Editor – OCP News Service – 15/12/2019
BENGALURU-INDIA: HG Dr. Abraham Mar Seraphim, Bengaluru Diocese Metropolitan, Indian (Malankara) Orthodox Church, launched the Meltho calendar for 2020 on December 7, 2019 (Sunday), at St Gregorios Orthodox Cathedral, Hosur Road.
Fr Varghese P Idichandy, Vicar/President, St George Orthodox Church & Pilgrim Centre, Indiranagar, has led the concept and thematic design of both, the wall and tabletop versions of the calendar.
The inaugural wall calendar was handed over to Fr Dr. M P George, professor, Orthodox Theological Seminary, Kottayam, Kerala, while the tabletop version was handed over to Prof Dr. Mathew Chandrankunnel, professor of philosophy of science at Dharmaram Vidya Kshetram and Christ University, Bangalore.
The wall calendar gives an overview of the chronology of liturgical seasons in the Malankara Orthodox ecclesiastical calendar. Each calendar page displays the Sabha Panchangam, Bible reading verses, and space for important notes. The red color marking indicates holidays while orange color is for feast days.
A page with pictures about the eight patron saints of the Malankara Orthodox churches in Bangalore, the Catholicoi of the Indian Malankara Orthodox Church from 1912 to the present and Metropolitans of the Bangalore Diocese from 1979 to the present under HG Dr. Abraham Mar Seraphim are also included.
The tabletop shows the fascinating history of the icons of the Theotokos and its influence on the Orthodox Church. The calendar also mentions the five main types of representation of the Theotokos, the most holy Mother of God in Orthodox iconography.
Each page mentions information about the Oriental Orthodox family comprising of Ethiopian, Coptic, Armenian, Syrian, Indian and Eritrean churches.
The tabletop begins with profiling St Luke, the evangelist, considered as the founder of iconography.
2020 also marks the 15th year of Meltho (www.meltho.org) scheduled to be held on February 1, 2, 2020.
At the Christmas symphony, Zamar 2019 competition, St Thomas Orthodox Maha Edavaka, Bengaluru East, lifted the overall trophy while St George Orthodox Church, Indiranagar ended up being the runners up.
The event was successfully conducted by MGOCSM OCYM Bangalore Diocese and saw vicars from all the parishes of the Diocese attending the event.
Source:
OCP News Service
