THOOTHUKUDI: To commemorate the occasion of Ash Wednesday, the environmental concerns department of the Church of South India (CSI) distributed eco-friendly hundials made of palmyra leaves for collecting the lent day offerings. The initiative aims to end the use of plastic hundials. The 40-day fast during lent days, which began on Wednesday, will culminate on Easter Sunday.
Devotees of churches under Roman Catholic denominations apply the ash created by burning the palm leaves used during the previous year's Palm Sunday procession, on their foreheads on the occasion. Though the reformed church does not follow the traditions of smearing ash on foreheads, they organise special prayers during Ash Wednesday, and also during the lent days.
The devotees also save money by abstaining from a luxurious lifestyle and dieting during the lent days. The church provides hundials for saving the offerings. Plastic hundials had become popular after the culture of offering pots faded away with time.
Thoothukudi-Nazareth CSI diocesan's environmental concerns department secretary and Pandarachettivilai St Luke Church priest Father John Samuel said in a statement that the church has introduced hundials made of palm leaves in order to be eco-friendly and to encourage palm leaf artisans.