Asia's biggest Christian convention got underway here Sunday with Philipose Mar Chrysostum, senior metropolitan of the Mar Thoma Church, leading the opening worship.

The 120th edition of the week-long meet -- called Maramon Convention -- got underway on the river bed of Pampa. The convention has become the flagship programme of the Thiruvalla-headquartered Mar Thoma Syrian Church of Malabar.

The chief guests include Bishop Sipho De Siva from South Africa, presiding bishop of the Methodist Church, Patriarch of Antioch Ignatius Mar Aphrem-II, and Rev Dushantha Rodrigo from Sri Lanka.

Maramon is located in Pathanamthitta district and is about 20 km from Thiruvalla.

The church defines itself as apostolic in origin, universal in nature, biblical in faith, evangelical in principle, ecumenical in outlook, oriental in worship, democratic in function, and episcopal in character, and has been able to make inroads in the education sector and runs a number of institutions.

The convention takes place on the river bed under a sprawling temporary shed, made of coconut leaves, which will seat about a lakh people.

Each day will have three separate sessions for women and men, besides a series of prayer and devotional music.