MERAUKE, Indonesia (UCAN) -- Catholics launched National Bible Month in Merauke archdiocese by carrying a bible in procession to the cemetery of missioners who brought God's word to them more than a century ago.
More than 1,000 Catholics walked seven kilometers on Sept. 1 afternoon in the two-hour procession on public roads of Merauke town. Starting from St. Mary of Fatima Church in Kelapa Lima, they went to Patale Sai, which means "missioners' burial ground" in the Marind tribal language, in Buti village. The cemetery is located just beside St. Theresia Church.
The Marind are the predominant tribal group in Merauke, capital of Merauke district, 3,670 kilometers east of Jakarta.
Sacred Heart Father Kayetanus Tarong, the St. Mary of Fatima parish priest, sent off the procession led by four altar boys carrying a large bible on a wooden stretcher. The pilgrimage aimed "to encourage all Catholics to respect the Bible, which contains all faith experiences," he declared.
Following the altar boys were children, junior-high students and other young and elderly people.
After about three kilometers, primary-school pupils and a drum band met the procession and led it the rest of the way to Buti, as the pilgrims continued praying and singing.
In the village, two tribal leaders accompanied by 11 children, all wearing traditional Marind attire, met the procession.
Speaking in their dialect, the tribal leaders took the handles of the wooden stretcher bearing the bible from the altar boys' shoulders and put them on the shoulders of four tribal girls.
The procession then continued to the cemetery, where the girls presented the bible to Archbishop Nicolaus Adi Seputra of Merauke. "May this bible bring blessings for all people, especially Marind people," he said.
The Sacred Heart archbishop stated that the Bible, which has journeyed through southern Papua 102 years, should open the eyes of all people to the Good News. The purpose of the procession was to encourage local Catholics to read the Bible, reflect on it and act according to it, he added.
Pointing to the indigenous elements of the procession, the archbishop asked Marind people not to abandon their culture. "We must accompany today's procession with Marind spiritual songs and tifa (a small Papuan drum)," said the bishop, who has allowed use of Marind spiritual songs and tifa during liturgies.
The archbishop then elevated the bible on a pulpit, facing the people who will come to honor it or to attend special activities for Bible Month. Throughout the month, the bible will be displayed under a tent erected inside the area where eight Sacred Heart missioners were buried.
Catholicism began to take root in southern Papua on Aug. 14, 1905, when Sacred Heart Father Henri Nolleh baptized Clara Sukai, a Marind woman, in Buti.
Wilhelmus Dabi Gebze, 46, who belongs to the Marori Mengey, a Marind sub-tribe, told UCA News at the end of the procession that Marind people had a word for God before Catholicism arrived. "They knew Amay, the word for 'God' in the Marori Mengey dialect," he said.
The procession interested him, he added, "because all Papuan people should read the Bible, which contains the living word for people from generation to generation."
According to Gebze, Marind people used to worship Amay, who created their ancestors. But after they learned about Catholicism, "they realized that the one whom they called Amay is God."
Following the installation of the bible, some people remained at the burial place until morning for adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, which was placed in a monstrance on an altar erected besides the pulpit.
Eduardus Gae, 32, coordinator of the procession, hoped that Catholics in each parish or neighborhood would conduct special prayer activities using the Bible "to renew themselves."
Margareta Mahuze, 62, who joined the procession, told UCA News the prayers and hymns helped her glorify God and realize the importance of the Holy Scripture. "Catholics should recognize the importance of the Bible in their daily lives," she said.
from : UCANews
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