A Witness of Faith and Courage
St. Sebastian was a third-century Christian martyr who served as a soldier in the Roman army during a time of persecution. Tradition remembers him as a man of deep faith and courage who quietly supported fellow Christians and remained steadfast in his commitment to Christ even when his faith placed his life in danger.
When his Christian faith became known, St. Sebastian was condemned and subjected to severe persecution. Though he initially survived an execution attempt by arrows, he continued to profess his faith and was later martyred. His courage, endurance, and unwavering witness to Christ have made him one of the most beloved saints in the Catholic tradition. Devotion to him has a particularly strong place among many Syro-Malabar Catholics from Kerala.
Feast of St. Sebastian & Kazhunnu Perunnal
As a community under the patronage of St. Sebastian, the Exton Mission celebrates the Feast of St. Sebastian and Kazhunnu Perunnal as one of the most cherished annual celebrations of our mission.
Kazhunnu is a devotional tradition familiar to many Syro-Malabar Catholics from Kerala. The offering is made as an expression of prayer, thanksgiving, or a vow, seeking the intercession of St. Sebastian for ourselves and our loved ones.
Our Kazhunnu Perunnal brings together the traditions many of us grew up with in Kerala and the faith we now share as a community here in Exton. Through Holy Qurbana, special prayers and devotions, Kazhunnu, and community fellowship, we honor our patron saint while passing this tradition of faith on to the next generation.
For our Mission, the feast is a reminder of the faith that connects our families, our Syro-Malabar heritage, and our life together as one community under the patronage of St. Sebastian.