A Catholic couple exchanged marriage vows and garlanded each other in front of a closed church after the groom’s priest defied a court order and refused to issue a mandatory certificate. Had the Kottayam Knanaya archdiocese granted Justin John permission to marry Vijimol Shaji, he would have become the first member of the endogamous and closed community to retain his church membership after marrying outside the sect.

From a Railway Platform to the Altar: Abandoned Child Becomes a Priest
Twenty-eight years ago, a frightened five-year-old boy was found alone at Shoranur railway station. He had no memory of his parents or a family to


