Rome | 14 May 2025
While the Universal Church celebrates the Jubilee Year with open doors and renewed graces, the heart of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church beat visibly in Rome from 12 to 14 May 2025, as we took part in the official Jubilee celebrations dedicated to the Eastern Catholic Churches.
Among the many Churches in communion with Rome, it was our Syro-Malankara Catholic Church—rooted in the West Syriac liturgical tradition—that stood in a place of honour, leading solemn prayers at the Basilica of St Mary Major on the evening of 13 May, alongside our sister Churches of the Syriac patrimony: the Maronite Catholic Church and the Syriac Catholic Church.
The service, rich with the spiritual fragrance of the East, was offered in Syriac, Arabic, English, and Malayalam, and was graced by the presence of:
- Moran Mor Ignatius Youssef III Younan, Patriarch of the Syriac Catholic Church
- His Eminent Beatitude Cardinal Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis Catholicos, Major Archbishop-Catholicos of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church
- Major Archbishop Raphael Thattil, The head of the Syro-Malabar Church
- Cardinal Claudio Gugerotti, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches
- Bishops, clergy, religious, and faithful from various Eastern Catholic traditions
The prayer service was more than an event—it was a declaration: that we, who inherit the beauty of the West Syriac tradition, continue to shine with faith in the heart of the Church.
In the Presence of Peter
Following the prayer, His Eminent Beatitude Cardinal Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis Catholicos led a special moment of prayer at the tomb of Pope Francis, now of revered memory. There, the Malankara community in Rome—clergy, religious, and lay faithful—joined their spiritual father in silence and supplication. The intercession sought was not just for our Church, but for the healing and unity of all Churches in suffering and diaspora.
The Pope’s Address: Honour to the Eastern Churches
On the morning of 14 May, from the Paul VI Hall at the Vatican, Pope Leo XIV addressed the leaders and representatives of all Eastern Catholic Churches. He recognised and honoured their resilience—acknowledging the way these Churches have preserved the faith amid war, persecution, and displacement throughout history.
Quoting Eastern Church Fathers, the Holy Father called for greater care and reverence towards the unique liturgical and spiritual traditions of each sui iuris Church, reaffirming that unity does not mean uniformity, and that the beauty of the Church lies in its communion through diversity.
In a gesture filled with ecclesial warmth, His Eminent Beatitude Cardinal Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis Catholicos met with the Holy Father along with other Heads of Eastern Churches, exchanging greetings, prayers, and mutual assurance of spiritual support.
The Voice of the Malankara Church in the Eternal City
The Syro-Malankara Catholic Church in Rome, through its priests, religious, and laity, participated with visible joy and devotion. For those gathered, this was not merely an institutional moment, but a liturgical and communal affirmation that we are deeply rooted in the Apostolic Church and stand with our brethren across rites and continents.
The prayers sung in Malayalam echoed through the ancient basilica with the same faith that once filled the hills of Antioch and the forests of Kerala. The Syriac intonations, unchanged for centuries, reminded the Church that East and West together form the whole body of Christ.
As the Jubilee celebrations continue, the participation of our Church in this sacred moment in Rome was not just symbolic—it was deeply ecclesial, theological, and historical. For we are not merely guests in the Catholic communion; we are part of its apostolic soul.
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