This year, the Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross was celebrated with deep devotion and renewed enthusiasm at Siluva Konda Shrine, Gattupalli, one of the sub-stations of Pargi Parish. For more than a decade, this hill has been a place of pilgrimage for the faithful of Vikarabad Deanery and beyond, drawing people to reflect on the mystery of the Cross—the very heart of our Christian faith.
The celebration held a special character this year as it was combined with the Jubilee Year of Hope – Pilgrims of Hope. From the foot of the hill to the summit, the faithful journeyed together in a solemn procession carrying the Jubilee Cross of the Archdiocese. This climb itself became a living symbol of faith: each step echoing the struggles and hopes carried to the Cross of Christ. The procession was followed by moments of praise and worship, Eucharistic adoration, and the celebration of the Holy Eucharist, presided over by Fr. Bhagyaraj, a Rosminian priest from Vijayawada, whose charismatic preaching and prayer ministry inspired many.
The event was a fruit of collaborative ministry. It was coordinated by Fr. Poulson Pasala (Mission Director/Parish Priest of Pargi) and Fr. Satyendra (Co-Pastor), together with the Dean of Vikarabad, Fr. Joseph Madanu (Principal of St. Mark’s School, Thanduru), and other priests of the deanery including Fr. Benjamine Chinnabathini (St. Jude’s Shrine, Vikarabad), Fr. Bharath (Shabad), Fr. Vincent Susai (Umenthal), and Fr. Madhu Babu Potunuru (Jeeva Jala Nilayam). Alongside them, diocesan priests, Mill Hill Missionaries, religious sisters, and lay faithful all worked together, bearing witness to the unity of the Church.
The Cross, once a sign of suffering and humiliation, has become through Christ the sign of victory, grace, and glory. For the people of this region, the Cross speaks powerfully into their daily lives marked by struggles, uncertainties, and pain. As one reflection reminds us: “the more the Cross, the more the grace.” At Siluva Konda, the faithful offered prayers, lit candles, made personal sacrifices, and encountered God’s mercy through the sacraments—finding strength to carry their own crosses with faith and hope.
What shone through most clearly was the renewed spirit of unity at the deanery level. Priests, religious, and faithful together created an atmosphere of prayer and celebration that lifted hearts toward God. The vibrant liturgy, the angelic singing of the choir, and the presence of pilgrims in great numbers made the day a true encounter with the living Lord.
The Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross at Siluva Konda reminds us all that the Cross is not an end, but a beginning—the pathway to resurrection and life. In this Jubilee Year of Hope, the faithful of Vikarabad Deanery, walking together as pilgrims, gave a visible sign to the world that hope is found in the Cross of Christ.
May the Cross of our Lord Jesus continue to be our strength, our consolation, and our hope, now and always.
Tomvenki Yellavula, MHM
