What Shall I Do To Be Saved?

By Rev. Dr. Curian Kaniyamparambil

Question 128. Doesn't your church keep icons and idols, and worship them?

No, we don't keep or worship any idol. It is grossly incorrect.

Idolatry means the worship of an image held to be the abode of a superhuman personality. It is true that we have pictures in our churches, but we don't pray to it and we don't believe those pictures have any holy power from God present in them. They are pictures of people whom we love.

I am sure that many of our family albums have our loved one's pictures. Do we believe that these pictures have any supernatural powers?

The currency of England ("Pound') has the picture of their patron St. George on it. Are they praying to the coins? No, it is meant as a respect to the patron.

Likewise we keep pictures of people who lived and died for Jesus Christ in our churches because of our respect for them. We don't pray to these pictures.

Question 129. You have festivals marked by big celebration? Wasn't this copied from other religions?

No, we have seen that the early church celebrated the memories of saints as solemn days (or death anniversaries). This tradition is continued even today.

The most important aspect of this is our prayers for the saints, and our request for their prayers for us.

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