April 12, 2024 – The Commission for Bible under the Conference of the Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) held a significant event under the leadership of Most Rev. Dr. Antonysamy Peter Abir, Bishop of Sultanpet and Chairman of CCBI Commission for Bible. The “Creative Ministry Award” was bestowed upon the mobile application “BibleOn,” formerly known as “The Holy Bible in Tongues” in a ceremony held at NBCLC, Bengaluru.
The award, which recognizes innovative approaches to ministry, was given to the app for its unique contribution to making the scriptures accessible in a digital format. Fr Yesu Karunanidhi, the Executive Secretary of the Bible Commission CCBI, praised the application for its pioneering role in the Indian Church. “This ministry of sharing God’s Word through a mobile application is creative and new as no such Mobile application with the potential to add all the languages of India and the world is available in the Indian Church,” he commented.
Developed by Eloit Innovations based in Kochi, the application was the brainchild of Fr Josekutty Thomas SDB and Mr. Thomson Philip, CEO of Eloit. The app is a hybrid platform, available for free on both Google Play Store and Apple App Store, and features more than twenty languages, many of which are tribal languages from various Indian states. It also includes bibles in major languages such as English, Hindi, Kannada, and Assamese. The application can accommodate any number of languages and can be used by millions of people worldwide without any interruptions.
One of the key features of the app is its audio Bible component, which caters especially to the tribal populations accustomed more to oral than written traditions. “This is a great help for the tribal population who are so used to the oral than the written,” said Fr Josekutty, expressing gratitude after receiving the award. He also thanked the bishops of Itanagar, Rt Rev. John Thomas Kattrukudiyil and Benny Varghese Edathattel, the Salesian Province of Dimapur and Don Bosco college, Itanagar for their encouragement and support for this ministry.
The audio Bibles have been recorded in different parts of India, with ongoing recordings in several languages. This feature significantly enhances accessibility and understanding for users who prefer auditory learning or those with visual impairments.
The mobile app continues to expand its language offerings and can be downloaded by link provided. This initiative not only spreads the holy scriptures but also embraces technological advancements to reach a broader audience.
You can download it from the Google Play Store and Apple App Store:
