St. Joseph’s parish at Ponkandam, near Mangalam Dam in Palakkad district, achieved yet another milestone on Sunday when the parishioners began their Lenten season by adopting green practices. St. Joseph’s is the first and only net-zero parish in the country.
Breaking the centuries-old custom of lighting the lamps, the Ponkandam parishioners started their Lenten prayers by watering plants in front of the church altar on Sunday.
“It is a bold and concrete step towards environmental conservation. This parish has become the first in India to incorporate green practices into Lenten observance. It is a model not only for the whole country, but for the whole world,” parish vicar Fr. Saji Vattukalathil told The Hindu.
