Archbishop Benedict Mar Gregorios Birth Centenary

The centenary meet held by the Syro Malankara Catholic Church, in connection with the birth centenary celebrations of the late Archbishop Benedict Mar Gregorios, was held at St. Mary’s Cathedral here on Saturday, 16th January, 2016.

The Syro-Malankara Catholic Church will provide free palliative care to 25 poor cancer patients, irrespective of their religion, at the newly constructed Cancer Care Home at St John’s Medical Village in Pirappancode established in memory of former Archbishop Benedict Mar Gregorios.

The cancer care home for poor patients, was constructed at a cost of Rs 2.5 crore. It will accommodate 25 patients to begin with.

Asserting that the birth centenary celebrations, which began in August last year, had focused on serving people in need rather than in conducting glittery functions, Bava Thirumeni said the church also accommodated seven former inmates of Mental Health Centre, Oolanpara, at its shelter for homeless people ‘Snehaveedu’ in Nalanchira during this period.

His Grace Archbishop Salvatore Pennachio the Apostolic Nuncio gave the Keynote Address. The Benedictory message was given by His Grace Philipose Mar Chrysostam, Marthoma Valiyametropolitan and His Grace Archbishop Soosa Pakiam, Latin Archbishop of Trivandrum.

Sri. P. Gopinathan Nair, Chairman, All India Gandhi Smarakanidhi, Sri. E. T. Mohammed Basheer M.P., Former Education Minister and Sri. V. K. Prasanth, Honerable Mayor of Trivandrum also spoke during the event.

The concluding ceremony held at St Mary’s Cathedral, Pattom, witnessed the presentation of Mar Gregorios Birth Centenary award to Sister Mary Litty, the founder of Kunnamthanam Providence Home. Sister Mary was chosen for the award by a jury comprising former chief secretary Lisy Jacob, former DGP Jacob Punnoose and Mar Evanios College principal Jiji Thomas.