A church in Kerala is all set to receive a very special guest - Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who will offer prayers there during a two-day visit to the state from Feb 15.
He will go to the Vallarpadom Latin Church at Vallarpadom in Ernakulam district Feb 16.
"One reason why the prime minister is visiting our church is because on Feb 12 this church would be made a basilica following orders from Pope John Paul II," Archibishop M. Susaipakiom told IANS.
"All arrangements are being made by the Varapuzha Latin Archdiocese," said Susaipakiom, who was elevated to the post of archbishop of the Thiruvananthapuram Latin Diocese after the Varapuzha Diocese split.
Fisheries Minister Dominic Presentation, a Latin Christian, said: "Normally when we have VIPs visiting our church, there is a small function honouring the VIP.
"But we are not sure if the basilica will be open to all believers when the prime minister spends about 30 minutes there. That will be decided later," said Presentation.
Father Job Vazhakootathil, a top official of the Varapuzha Diocese, said the prime minister would arrive at the church at 10 a.m. and "there would be a short prayer by our archbishop followed by a message from the prime minister.
"Due to security reasons we will have just 100 people inside the church when the prime minister comes. But we will have close to 1,000 people outside who will be able to hear the prime minister."