St. Mary’s Indian Orthodox Church (Pilgrim Centre), Ras Al Khaimah, UAE

Mid-seventies, opened up employment opportunities in this part of the Emirates and the real influx of our people commenced. Those days, prayer gathering was more or less ecumenical in nature, so as to quench an urge for a Christian fellowship. In this context, the name to be remembered now and always is the family of Late Mr. Chakalayil Baby, who had been generous to extend their whole hearted support by keeping their doors always open for conducting periodical prayer meetings. The most memorable event during this period is the visit of Late H.H. Moran Mar BaseliusMarthoma Mathews II (H.G. Mathews Mar Coorilos,Thirumeni) on 24.7.1976  and further on with a visit to the Ruler’s Office with the request for a place of worship. Such fellowship gatherings paved the way for an ecumenical Christmas carol celebration in the premises of ChakalayilPalli on 25.12.1976.

Memories also involving the local community as well, remain still afresh in the minds of elders, as no such collective Christmas carol event took place ever after. Subsequently Orthodox believers grew in number and a prayer group was formed in February, 1977, called, St. Thomas Prayer Group, Ras Al Khaimah. In 1978 congregations both in the Northern Emirates & East Coast were combined with Sharjah congregation. The new Parish based in Sharjah, viz. St. Gregorios Orthodox Church, came into existence, with the RAK representative Mr. Sunny Varughese selected as the founder Secretary for the Sharjah parish. Thereafter, Ras Al Khaimah congregation was divested from Dubai parish and came under the new parish of Sharjah. The subsequent Vicars at Sharjah parish attended periodical prayer meetings and conducted Holy Qurbana at Ras Al Khaimah, from time to time. The Passion Week service was conducted for the first time at RAK on 13.4.1979.

The Church General Body convened on 27th Feb. 1981, decided to construct a Parish Hall at the residential premises of Mr. Babu Eapen (Kalloopara) and was a turning point for the RAK Church activities and the congregation got an impetus with a permanent shelter. The new parish hall was sermonized on 9th Nov. 1981. All the members during those days personally involved and contributed their personal time and labor so as to have the parish hall constructed for the prayer meetings.

The Parish always needs to remain indebted to Mr. Babu Eapen and family for having stood with us during the period of adversity when the Church was moving from place to place without a shelter of its own. The Episcopal visit of H.G. Paulose  Mar Gregorios to our Church on 24.7.1981 was an event to be remembered during this period. Prayer meetings & Holy Qurbana were conducted on regular schedule and the name to be recalled in this context is the Sharjah parish Vicar Fr. George Panakamattom whose periodical visits consolidated the activities here. The Parish Hall was subsequently christened to be known as St. Mary’s Orthodox Church in Ras Al Khaimah with a full time Vicar.

Unfortunately the parish hall premises  where the Church activities were held, was unceremoniously declared closed by the authorities on  4th October, 1983, which led to a total lull of our activities for a period of time with the exception of prayer meetings or Holy Qurbanas at private residences occasionally. The anguish encountered by Fr. Varghese Jacob, who was the Vicar during those days, is worth mentioning at this juncture.

The commencement of a Sunday school on 19th January, 1990 rekindled the religious vigor once again.

The recurrence of prayer meetings and periodical Holy Qurbana at various private residences, revived Church activities here again. Sunday school functioning kept the spirit alive and the annual Christmas carol gatherings with cultural events of the children were always held in the best possible manner either at School or hotel premises.

During the year 1998, a land was leased to make a church building and the new Church subsequently constructed, was consecrated by H.G. Job Mar Philexinos on 1st April, 1999. A parish with the blessed name of Mother Mary under its own roof thus came into existence at Ras Al Khaimah.

Fr. K.G. Alexander took charge of the parish as a full time priest but unfortunately the bliss was short-lived. The premises met with a fatal destiny of closure again on 20th of October, 1999.  Representations were made collectively by all the Christian communities to the Indian Consulate and the local authorities for revoking the decision.

Worship facility was later permitted at the Worship Centre in the year 2001 and time slot was hired for the Orthodox Church. In due course, the Church routines steadily got streamlined and thus we commenced having Holy Qurbana and Sunday school activities revamped with the visiting Vicars from Sharjah parish. Late H.H. Moran Mar Baselius Marthoma Mathews II, leading a delegation, paid a courtesy call to the then Crown Prince H.H. Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, at the Ruler’s Office on 27.12.2003 and conveyed the desire for a place of worship at Ras Al Khaimah. The closed Church was kept idle and was not permitted for use, in spite of paying the full rental expense till the year 2005. Intercession of Mother Mary and the fervent prayer of the faithful, led to the opening of the closed Church premises once again on 25thNovember, 2005 and Vicar Fr. K. J. Jacob offered Holy Qurbana at the re-opened Church.

The local government’s benevolence to our community was well demonstrated when we were informed about the allotment of land for Church construction in the year 2006. A Church Construction  Committee was constituted on 15.12.2006 for the construction of a new Church in the land graciously donated by the honorable government. The momentum met with some snags when the government decided to change the location of the allotted land for Church construction to Jazirah.

Finally the new church construction activities had its start again with Fr. Joseph Malayil as the Vicar and the earth breaking ceremony was held on 26th December, 2008. H.G. Kuriakose Mar Clemis Metropolitan laid the foundation stone for the church at the new land and construction of the dream church and church complex got completed with Fr. ManojRajan, as the Vicar. The new church is a personification of the collective effort by one & all of the parish members and with the untold blessings in disguise that was always pervading throughout the phase of construction.

H.H. Moran Mar Baselius Marthoma Paulose II, Catholicose of East and Malankara Metroplitan, consecrated our dream church on 18th of February, 2011 as the Chief Celebrant, along with Diocesan Metropolitan H.G. Dr. Abraham Mar Seraphim and other Bishops. H.H. The Catholicose, also had the privilege of paying a courtesy call to H.H. Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ras Al Khaimah, on 18th February, 2011 at the Ruler’s Palace and availed the occasion to convey the gratitude and respects of the Indian Orthodox community at Ras Al Khaimah, to His Highness the Ruler and Government of Ras Al Khaimah, for the magnanimous  and noble gesture towards the community.

St. Mary’s Orthodox Church at Ras Al Khaimah, the only Church in the name of Mother Mary and the dream church of RAK parishnors has opened up its thresholds for welcoming all the faithful so as to enrich themselves with the abundant blessings that are to be showered profusely upon one and all.

The Parish now being christened as a Pilgrim Center andwith around 250 members on its register, falls under the jurisdiction of Bangalore diocese and H.G. Dr. Abraham Mar Seraphim is the present diocesan metropolitan. The initial phase of construction enjoyed the blessings and patronage of both Delhi diocesan Metropolitan H.G. Job Mar Philexinos and former diocesan Metropolitan of Bangalore H.G. Abraham Mar Epiphanios. The continuous support and presence of  Sharjah Mar Gregorios church as the maternal parish, was always a matter of solace to RAK parishnors. Moreover, all the laymen members of the RAK parish and the managing committees from time to time, remained steadfast in contributing their might for the realization of an ever surging decades old dream of having an own church.

We hope and pray that the blessings of Mother Mary and all our Patron Saints will lead and guide everyone throughout, with wise counsel during all the years to come so that the abode of God in this arid land will be a beacon to the “ras of khaimah”,  resounding the name of our adopted home, i.e. Ras Al Khaimah.

Mother Mary’s affluence of grace and blessings is being experienced and enjoyed in abundance by the faithful; attracting more and more towards the soothing and healing shelter of this Pilgrimage Centre at Ras Al Khaimah in UAE.

(Adapted from the memoirs of Mr. Sunny Varughese).