Two Bibles handwritten by parishioners in India

By Sr Florina Joseph, SCN

In a world where Catholic communities often struggle to revive their faith, the youth group of a local church in India has rewritten the narrative, literally.

The Biblia Project 2024, a six-month initiative headed by the youth group of Carmel Parish in Pune, Maharashtra, has created history.

Over 700 parishioners collaborated to produce two handwritten Bibles, one in English and the other in Malayalam.

The monumental effort resulted in two Bibles comprising 2,700 pages in English and 2,800 pages in Malayalam.

These Bibles were carried in a solemn procession during the Parish Feast Mass on Sunday and are now placed at the altar of the church as a testament to the parishioners’ dedication and faith.

Deepening faith as a community

This spiritual initiative aimed to encourage parishioners to deepen their relationship with God through their engagement in handwritten scripture.

Speaking to Vatican News, Almeta Joy, a young parishioner, said, “For us youth, this project has significantly strengthened our connection to and knowledge of Scripture.”

“We had to allocate chapters, design the paper, distribute them to parishioners, and then proofread and collate the handwritten sheets,” said Almeta. “It was a lot of work, but we thoroughly enjoyed the process.”

She also noted that every planning session began and ended with prayer, fostering a sense of purpose and unity among the participants.

A transformative experience

The project created a buzz within the parish, with families and couples prioritizing their scripture writing amid their daily routines.

While reading and writing the texts, parishioners, regardless of their age, came across inspiration that aligned with their current realities, questions that pushed them forward to seek clarity, and, most of all, developed an interest in studying Scripture, said Almeta.

Before writing, each participant was asked to pray for three personal intentions, which helped them persevere through the challenges they faced, she added.

Jesna Jixon, another youth group member, said, “A special adoration was held to share testimonies of transformation during the project. Many parishioners experienced miracles and personal breakthroughs as they engaged with Scripture.”

Reflecting on moments of uncertainty about the project’s completion, Jesna added, “This was a faith journey in itself. It has deeply impacted many lives, and now, more of us are eager to study Scripture than ever before.”

The Biblia Project 2024 was directed under the guidance of Br Nikhil Thachuparambil, the youth animator and Br. Joel Kolenchery, the project coordinator.