IIS Students Encounter Faith and Culture at Matridham Ashram, Varanasi

Varanasi, October 17, 2025:

Nineteen students from the Indian Institute of Spirituality (IIS), Bangalore — including eighteen postgraduate and one doctoral student — recently completed a week-long exposure programme at Matridham Ashram, run by the Indian Missionary Society (IMS) Fathers in the Diocese of Varanasi. The group, accompanied by the institute’s registrar, comprised sixteen priests and two sisters.

During their stay from 10th to 16th October, the participants immersed themselves in the Indian way of living and praying, finding the experience deeply enriching. They also attended the Second Saturday Convention at the Ashram, where they witnessed the vibrant faith of around 7,000 Kristbhaktas.

Each morning, from 9 to 10 a.m., Fr. Anil Dev, IMS — affectionately known as Swami — shared his profound insights on various topics. His sessions covered the history of Matridham Ashram, the life and spirituality of Kristbhaktas, the concept of ashram life, and the mission of the Church in North India. He also reflected on themes such as evangelisation, inclusivism, the universality of the Indian mission, inculturation, the features of an ashram, the lifestyle of a guru, and the distinction between an ashram and an institute.

Adding a personal touch to their experience, lay Kristbhaktas gave heartfelt testimonies of faith, inspiring both students and faculty alike.

Beyond their formation sessions, the group also visited several significant sites in and around Varanasi. These included the Biblical Exhibition at the Cathedral of Varanasi, the historic Buddhist site of Sarnath, and the sacred River Ganges, where they witnessed the traditional Arati ceremony.

On 12th October, the group visited Jeevan Jyoti, a school for the visually impaired run by the SRA Sisters, where students presented a moving cultural programme. The following day, they visited the Novitiate of the Missionaries of St Francis de Sales (MSFS) of the Nagpur Province, where the novices performed a delightful cultural event titled Namaste.

Continuing their journey of learning and faith, the group visited Shanti Dham Ashram on 14th October — an initiative run by the Diocese of Varanasi and the FCC Sisters — and later toured Anjali, the IMS Provincialate.

The exposure programme offered the IIS students not just academic insights but also a lived experience of India’s deep spiritual traditions and the dynamic expression of Christian faith within an Indian context.

By Catholic Connect Reporter

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