From Happiness to Holiness: Analyzing Popular Practices among the Syrian Christians of Kerala, India, through Lens Hesychastic Spirituality and Teaching John Romanides

Can inherited religious customs become pathways to holiness?This study examines popular worship practices among the Syrian Christians of Kerala through the lens of Orthodox Hesychastic spirituality. Exploring the interaction between Christian tradition and Kerala's wider religious culture, it considers how local customs have shaped the devotional life of the faithful.Drawing upon the teachings of the Orthodox theologian John Romanides (1927-2001), St. Gregory Palamas (c. 1296-1359), and the spiritual tradition of the Jesus Prayer, the book presents the Christian life not merely as a pursuit of happiness, comfort, or divine favors, but as a call to holiness and communion with God.Through careful theological and pastoral discernment, inherited practices are examined and redirected toward the purification of the heart, the illumination of the nous, and ultimately, the true vision and experience of God.