A dose of Chrysostum humour for German scholar

Stephane Majer, a European research student, visited Philipose Mar Chrysostum Valiya Metropolitan on Thursday at Jubilee Home, his residence in Maramon. Stephane Majer is an anthropologist who studied at Heidelberg University; and at present she  is researching about ‘Religious healing in the Christian society of Kerala’ at university of Luxembourg. She had come to the NSS Ayurveda Hospital in Aranmula one week ago for the research.

She visited major Christian societies and places including the institution of Fr Geo Kappalumakkal in Pala as part of her research. She approached some pentecostal churches in Central Travancore to learn about religious healing.

She knew Mar Chrysostum as an elder Christian priest in Kerala. She met Roy Abraham Kallivayalil, head of the department of Psychiatry, Pushpagiri Medical College, to discuss the topic.She asked some questions about the religious healing to Mar Chrysostom. ‘’Did your church remove the devils from believers?’’ She asked. “Our church does not remove the devils. We cohabit  with them,” Mar Chrysostum said humorously.

He explained that devils and other feelings are formed in the human mind, so a spiritual rejuvenation can energise people in a religious way. “A counsellor is only a guide for selecting the proper way, so everybody can act as a counsellor. But a counsellor could not solve all the problems. Persons should solve their problems themselves by the help of a counsellor. Mind level of each person is different and their problems are also different. A man does not know everything.  If a person faces a crisis in life. they should depend on God. This is why people depend on religion for approaching God”, Mar Chrysostom said.

Stephane  discussed  about Yoga and Ayurveda, that are sometimes used in religious healing, with Mar Chrysostom. Dr B Harikumar from NSS Ayurveda Hospital accompanied her.