A dance drama on Blessed Rani Maria was the highlight of the feast of St Francis de Sales, the patron saint of the Arch-diocese of Nagpur. More than 2,000 people from the various parishes of the archdiocese attended the celebrations on January 24 along with Arch-bishop Abraham Viruthakulangara of Nagpur. The drama “Qurbani” (sacrifice) was prepared by Fathers M.L.James and Nitin Francis of Nav Chetna, Bhopal, capital of neighbouring State of Madhya Pradesh. About 200 children from five schools performed the dances while brothers from Pilar Niketan and Sisters from Alphonsa Sadan, Nagpur performed the drama.
The drama depicted the life of the Franciscan Clarist nun who was killed 28 years ago by a hired assassin near Indore, the commercial capital of Madhya Pradesh. The nun worked among poor landless agricultural labourers, which upset local landlords.
