Catholic churches under Calcutta arch-diocese will read out the Preamble to the Constitution after Sunday service on January 26, India’s Republic Day.

Archbishop Thomas D’Souza of Calcutta will send a circular to all 65 parishes in the city and the seven districts, conveying the decision to them. “The Preamble to the Constitution will be read out to uphold and safeguard the Constitution. I think under the present situation, understanding, upholding and being aware of the Constitution is more important than ever.

“We thanked God for the Constitution. We prayed for our country as we always do,” the archbishop said. “This is also an occasion to tell the congregation about the Constitution and many may not be aware of it. It will remind us of the values of liberty, equality and fraternity that the Preamble stands for.”

The Constitution was adopted by the Constituent Assembly on November 26, 1949, and it came into force on January 26, 1950.

The pastors will decide whether to read the Preamble inside the church or outside.

“Since childhood we have pledged to the nation and said ‘all Indians are my brothers and sisters.’ In the current context, it is our own brothers and sisters who are feeling that certain values of the Constitution are under threat. Reading the Preamble in front of God is also to say that it is sacred and cannot be taken lightly and guarding the Constitution is a duty each one of us have,” said Father Rodney Borneo, parish priest of St Ignatius Church in Kolkata. An inter-faith organization has called for the formation of a human chain from Golpark in the south to Shyambazar in the north on Republic Day to “celebrate and uphold the Constitution.”

“I am also asking the congregation to join the human chain wherever possible,” the archbishop said. Churches across the country traditionally celebrate the Republic Day and the Independence Day on August 15 with a variety of programs such as flag hoisting, singing of the National Anthem and talks on patriotism.