Champion of Kandhamal victims’ cause remembered

Archbishop Raphael Cheenath died Aug. 14 in Mumbai.

New Delhi:  Christians from all denominations gathered in New Delhi to remember Archbishop Raphael Cheenath , who stood for justice for the victims of the anti-Christian violence in Kandhamal, Odisha.

The retired archbishop of Cuttack-Bhubaneshwar archdiocese, who lost his battle to cancer on Aug. 14 in Mumbai, led the Christians when the worst attack on the community occurred in Kandhamal in 2008.

The condolence meet led by Archbishop Anil Couto was attended by priests, nuns and lay people on Aug. 26.

Terming him as a dynamic leader, Archbishop Couto said that the former prelate was a zealous pastor, a great visionary and an accomplished organizer.

Highlighting the courage and conviction with which the prelate stood for the victims of the violence, the participants agreed that they need to take his legacy of communal harmony and brotherhood forward.

“We have to work toward peace and communal harmony and take a pledge that no more communal violence takes place in the country,” Sr. Mary Scaria, a Supreme Court advocate, said.

She said that the former prelate must be at peace due to a recent Supreme Court judgement asking the government to give additional compensation to the Kandhamal victims.

The court has been monitoring the relief and rehabilitation measures for the victims since 2008 on the basis of petition filed by Archbishop Raphael Cheenath.