Ernakulam (Fides) - A large crowd took part in the closing Jubilee celebrations to recall two great apostles of India, St Thomas Apostle and St Francis Xavier. "On Sunday 17 November, some 100,000 people attended the Mass - a Brother present at the celebrations told Fides Service -. It was an event which surpassed all expectations, when we think that in Kerala Christians are less than 20% and many people walked kilometres to participate. The commemoration day of the great evangelisers of our country was followed with great attention and enthusiasm: the highest authorities of Church and State were present. Everyone was grateful for the message from the Holy Father, carried by his special envoy Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelisation of Peoples. In his address the Indian President Avul Kalam, a Muslim who attended Christian schools, praised the Catholic Church for its contribution in educational and social institutes and hospitals for the poor across India. He recognised the importance of the education he received. He also praised the tolerance and co-existence among various religions in Kerala state where he worked as a scientist in the 1960s. And he said that Kerala state gives good example for other parts of the country". "After this deeply felt celebration - the Brother concluded - we hope that Saints Thomas and Francis will continue to be spiritual guides to help us build a united and missionary Church, in a society respectful of human rights for all citizens". (Fides Service 19/11/2002)