A Fragrant Offering of Memory: Incense Prayer for Pope Francis at St. Mary’s Cathedral, Pattom

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A Fragrant Offering of Memory: Incense Prayer for Pope Francis at St. Mary’s Cathedral, Pattom

Pattom, Trivandrum – In the quiet hush of St. Mary’s Major Archbishop’s Cathedral, the Mother Church of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, incense rose like silent song—a prayerful fragrance of remembrance for His Holiness Pope Francis, whose earthly pilgrimage came to a close in Rome today.

The incense prayer and memorial was led in the presence of His Eminent Beatitude Cardinal Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis Catholicos, Major Archbishop-Catholicos of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church. The sacred rite was offered in solemn unity with the Universal Church, honouring the memory of a Pontiff who had, in both word and witness, emphasised the Church’s mission as a field hospital for the wounded, a home for the poor, and a mirror of Christ’s mercy.

Gathered in reverence were His Excellency Most Rev. Dr. Mathews Mor Polycarpos, Auxiliary Bishop of the Major Archieparchy of Trivandrum, and His Excellency Most Rev. Dr. Mathews Mor Pachomios, Bishop of the Eparchy of St. Ephrem – Khadki – Pune, along with many priests, religious Sisters, and members of the faithful. The gathering, though modest in number, was profound in heart—echoing that ancient Christian truth: that remembrance is an act of love, and prayer, its most enduring form.

The altar stood adorned not with elaborate ceremony, but with a cutout of Pope Francis placed reverently outside the iconostasis—his gentle gaze seeming to bless the gathered flock once more. There, under the dome of our cathedral in Pattom, a fragment of Rome had arrived—not in marble or parchment, but in prayer, in incense, and in the bonds of Catholic communion.

This act of remembrance was not merely symbolic. It was a confession of fidelity—a declaration that the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, born of the East but one with Peter, mourns with the Church Universal and gives thanks for the life and legacy of a Pontiff who walked humbly and carried the scent of the Gospel.

May his memory be eternal. And may the incense that rose from Pattom to heaven be counted among the prayers of the saints.

Pope Francis Dies at 88: A Shepherd of Mercy and Reform Returns to the Father​

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Pope Francis Dies at 88: A Shepherd of Mercy and Reform Returns to the Father​

Vatican City, 21 April 2025 — On a morning suffused with stillness, amidst the lilies of Eastertide and the hushed toll of ancient bells, the soul of Pope Francis quietly took its leave. At 7:35 AM (11.05 AM India Time), in his modest residence at Casa Santa Marta, the 88-year-old Pontiff, Jorge Mario Bergoglio — Bishop of Rome, Servant of the Servants of God — breathed his last. The Camerlengo of the Holy Roman Church, Cardinal Kevin Farrell, emerged shortly after to announce:

“With deep sorrow, I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis. At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and His Church.”

There is something oddly appropriate that Pope Francis, whose papacy began with gestures of humility and ended in quiet frailty, passed into eternity not with pomp or proclamations, but with the hush of Holy Week still lingering in the air. A shepherd, once vibrant with tango and laughter, had become an elder of suffering, his papacy steeped in the paradox of strength through weakness.

From Buenos Aires to the Fisherman’s Ring

Born on 17 December 1936 in Buenos Aires to Italian immigrants, Jorge Mario Bergoglio never seemed destined for the Chair of Peter. Trained first as a chemist, his early life held more of the tang of laboratories than the scent of incense. Yet a seemingly chance encounter with a confessor marked the hinge on which his story turned. The priesthood called, and he answered.

He joined the Society of Jesus, becoming a Jesuit priest in 1969. Appointed Provincial of Argentina at 36, he navigated the turbulent waters of Argentina’s Dirty War with caution and a deepening conscience. Over the years, the once-reserved bishop began to bear the unmistakable imprint of one who had looked into suffering and refused to avert his gaze.

As Archbishop of Buenos Aires from 1998, he lived in a small flat, cooked his own meals, and rode public transport. These were not affectations but natural expressions of a man whose theology had always been touched by the soil of the poor. Elevated to the College of Cardinals by Pope John Paul II in 2001, his name had begun to circulate in hushed tones after the 2005 conclave. But it was not until 13 March 2013 that lightning, quite literally, struck.

Habemus Papam: The Pontiff of the Peripheries

When white smoke curled above the Sistine Chapel, few could have guessed that the newly chosen Pope — who took the name Francis, the first ever to do so — would so profoundly reshape the imagination of the Catholic Church. Named after St. Francis of Assisi, the saint of poverty and peace, the new Pope stepped out onto the loggia not in the ornate papal mozzetta but in a simple white cassock.

“Buonasera,” he greeted the world, as if stepping into a neighbour’s home.

That greeting marked the tenor of his papacy. Francis walked out of the grand Apostolic Palace and chose instead to reside at Casa Santa Marta. He declined the red shoes, opting instead for his old black ones. He was a Pope who broke boundaries: the first Jesuit Pope, the first from the Americas, the first non-European since the eighth century. And he never let the Church forget that the Gospels begin in Galilee, not in Caesar’s palace.

Words That Wounded and Healed

His was a papacy not without controversy. To some, he was too bold; to others, not bold enough. But even his critics could not deny that Pope Francis wielded words like a surgeon’s scalpel — cutting open complacency, exposing the gangrene of clericalism, and reminding a weary world that mercy was not a sentiment but a demand.

“Who am I to judge?” he asked in reference to gay Catholics seeking God. Those five words sent shockwaves. So did his call for “a poor Church for the poor,” and his encyclicals on care for creation and human fraternity. His 2015 encyclical Laudato si’ remains perhaps the most significant spiritual document on ecology ever issued from the Vatican.

He opened doors to interreligious dialogue, kissed the feet of warlords in South Sudan, and washed the feet of prisoners on Holy Thursday. He criticised what he called “the spiritual Alzheimer’s” of those addicted to doctrinal rigidity, and he urged pastors to be “shepherds who smell of their sheep.”

Sickness and the Final Lent

Yet beneath the reformer always lived the man marked by illness. Having lost part of a lung in his youth due to infection, Pope Francis was no stranger to breathlessness. In February 2025, he was admitted to Rome’s Gemelli Hospital with bronchitis, which soon escalated to bilateral pneumonia. For thirty-eight days he remained under observation, battling illness while still attending to the affairs of the Church.

He waved to the faithful on Easter Sunday from the balcony of the hospital, offering blessings with a fragile smile. Just a day later, on Easter Monday, he departed this life. His last days were marked not by political intrigue or ecclesial strategy but by whispered prayers, the rustle of vestments, and the slow work of letting go.

His Funeral and the Path Ahead

At his request, the papal funeral rites will be marked by simplicity. Archbishop Diego Ravelli, Master of Apostolic Ceremonies, revealed that Pope Francis had overseen an update to the Ordo Exsequiarum Romani Pontificis in 2024, ensuring that the focus would rest not on worldly power but on the hope of the Resurrection.

The mortal remains of Pope Francis will lie in state at St. Peter’s Basilica before the funeral Mass. In keeping with tradition, cardinals from around the world will convene for the conclave that follows. As incense rises and bells toll, the Church will not only mourn a Pope but will prepare to elect another.

Yet there is no replacing a Francis. His papacy was not a chapter; it was an exclamation. He will be remembered not simply for where he stood, but for how he walked—with a limp, perhaps, but toward the wounded, the weary, and the forgotten.

The Pope of Paradoxes

He was a man who kissed children and confronted tyrants. A Jesuit with a Franciscan heart. A theologian who listened. A pontiff who prayed aloud to the Virgin with the soul of a child.

To us in the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, Pope Francis was not a distant figure but a spiritual father. His esteem for the Eastern Catholic Churches, his reverence for liturgical diversity, and his pastoral letters to our bishops will remain etched in our memory.

Even as his voice is now silent, his words continue to speak. And perhaps the last word he leaves us with is not in doctrine but in gesture: a Pope who, even in infirmity, refused the chariots of kings and chose the simple path of Christ.

He is gone. And yet, we believe, in the Communion of Saints, he is more present than ever.

Requiescat in pace, Holy Father. The Church mourns, and heaven sings.

Across Rites, Beyond Borders: Two Malankara Bishops Meet in Brisbane

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Across Rites, Beyond Borders: Two Malankara Bishops Meet in Brisbane

Brisbane, Australia – In an age when many bonds are fleeting, it is both rare and moving to witness the quiet endurance of a friendship rooted not in convenience, but in Christ. Such was the moment when His Excellency Most Rev. Dr. Antony Mor Silvanos, Bishop of the Major Archiepiscopal Curia and Apostolic Visitor to Oceania of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, paid a fraternal visit to His Grace Dr. Yuhanon Mor Dioscoros, Assistant Metropolitan of the Asia-Pacific Diocese of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, during the Passion Week services at St George Indian Orthodox Church, Brisbane.

Their meeting, held not under the gilded domes of Rome—as it once had been during their shared days of study—but in the more modest, prayerful setting of a suburban parish in Australia, was marked by warmth, mutual honour, and the unmistakable joy of kinship that defies ecclesial boundaries.

In Brisbane, amidst the solemnity of Holy Week, the two prelates—who had once walked the same academic corridors in Rome—found themselves reunited, not merely as bishops of sister Churches, but as old friends. Their conversation, we are told, moved freely between fond memories and deeper reflections on the lives of their faithful across Oceania.

That such a reunion took place during the Passion Week—a time in which we contemplate the sacrificial love of Christ—offered a subtle but striking reminder: that unity, however partial or fragile in our human grasp, finds its deepest expression not in institutional alignment, but in the love that surpasses division.

As members of the broader Malankara Christian heritage, we rejoice in such encounters, which reflect a profound truth of our shared apostolic faith: that grace can gather us across liturgical lines, across histories both wounded and whole.

Let us continue to pray for both shepherds as they serve their flocks with fidelity and vision—His Excellency Mor Silvanos, guiding the Syro-Malankara Catholic faithful in Oceania, and His Grace Mor Dioscoros, tending to the Malankara Orthodox community. May their friendship be a signpost to us all of what can be when we choose fraternity over formality.

Rev. Fr. Gabriel Possenti Thannickakuzhy O.I.C. Enters Eternal Rest After a Life of Silent Witness and Steadfast Service

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Rev. Fr. Gabriel Possenti Thannickakuzhy O.I.C. Enters Eternal Rest After a Life of Silent Witness and Steadfast Service

Nalanchira, Thiruvananthapuram – 16 April 2025

There are lives that thunder through history—and there are others that whisper, yet leave behind foundations upon which communities rise. Rev. Fr. Gabriel Possenti Thannickakuzhy O.I.C., a beloved priest of the Bethany Navajeevan Province of the Order of the Imitation of Christ (O.I.C.), passed away peacefully on the morning of 16 April 2025, aged 80. For forty long years, he bore the Cross of physical suffering with Christlike serenity following a life-altering accident in 1985. In this silence, his priesthood only grew deeper, his impact more enduring.

Born in 1945 in Kannur, his initial formation at Bethany began with admission in 1962 at the Bethany Ashram in Nalanchira. After a year of pre-novitiate and novitiate formation, he made his First Profession on 22 June 1964. His final profession came on 18 April 1970. He completed his pre-philosophy at the Papal Seminary (1964–1966), followed by full courses in philosophy and theology at the Pontifical Athenaeum in Pune (1966–1972), before receiving sacred ordination at Chengannur from Archbishop Cyril Mor Baselios O.I.C. in 1972. His first Holy Qurbono was celebrated the next day at Chempanthotty Church of the Syro-Malabar tradition.

He was not merely a theologian; he was a catechist in the true sense of the term—a writer, dramatist, and shepherd. His early ministry found him as Superior of the Bethany Ashram in Tiruvalla from 1980 to 1982 and as vicar of parishes such as Peringara, Vengal, Kallissery, and Cheengeri. He also earned a degree in media and dramaturgy during his time in Mumbai.

It was in Mumbai, during the 1970s, that Fr. Gabriel’s missionary heart left a mark still visible today. His arrival in 1978, during his higher studies, coincided with the deep yearning of a small Malankara Catholic diaspora in Borivili, who longed for liturgical and pastoral life in their native West Syriac Rite. Fr. Gabriel, staying with the St. Francis Brothers, offered not only his priestly presence but also a renewed sense of identity to a fledgling community. His pastoral visits, spiritual counsel, and celebration of the Holy Qurbono became the seeds from which the St. Thomas Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, Borivili would later bloom—a parish now firmly rooted within the Eparchy of St. Ephrem Khadki–Pune. Prior to his time in Mumbai, Fr. Gabriel had already served faithfully at Aluva from 1972 to 1978. His pastoral appointments included the Bethany Ashram mission in Mumbai from 1978 to 1980, followed by his role as Superior at Tiruvalla from 1980 to 1982, during which he also served as Vicar of Peringara, Vengal, and Kallissery. From 1982 to 1985, he was appointed as Vicar of Cheengeri while serving in Meenangadi Ashram. These years were marked by creative energy, catechetical depth, and pastoral zeal—until his physical condition changed the contours of his service.

This quiet pioneer helped nourish what would become a vibrant ecclesiastical presence in Maharashtra. His time in Mumbai laid the foundations for the future formation of parishes and the eventual canonical erection of a diocese that would serve hundreds of faithful across the western region of India. Today, the Malankara Catholic Church in Mumbai and Pune honours him not merely as a visitor from Kerala, but as one of its own founders in spirit and mission.

In 1985, while serving at Meenangadi Ashram, a tragic accident left him physically incapacitated. Yet, the accident did not arrest his mission; it merely transformed its expression. From his bed, he continued to inspire through prayer, reflection, and a love that bore pain as a daily offering. In the crucible of suffering, he remained a Bethany priest through and through—rooted in imitation of Christ.

In the years following his accident, Fr. Gabriel was first cared for at Bethany Nagar Dayara and Nature Cure Centre in Nalanchira, where he remained from 1989 to 2020. Since 2020, he had been residing at Bethany Ashram Dayara in Nalanchira, where his quiet presence was a source of spiritual strength to all who encountered him.

His funeral rites will be held on Monday, 21 April 2025, at the Bethany Ashram, Nalanchira, Trivandrum. The mortal remains will arrive at the Ashram at 7:45 a.m., followed by services and Holy Qurbono at 10:45 a.m. The final interment will take place at the Bethany Ashram Cemetery in the presence of hierarchs and clergy of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church and the Bethany community.

In a world that often overlooks hidden sanctity, the life of Fr. Gabriel Possenti Thannickakuzhy O.I.C. stands as a quiet lamp set upon a hill—a priest, a pioneer, a scribe, a sufferer, a servant. His story—told in both words and in suffering—now finds its fulfilment in the presence of the Eternal High Priest, to whom he offered his life without complaint, without spectacle, and without reserve.

Let us remember him with gratitude, and may his soul rest in the eternal embrace of Christ, whose yoke he bore with fidelity and grace.

India Hosts First-Ever National Workshop on Interreligious and Ecumenical Ministry

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India Hosts First-Ever National Workshop on Interreligious and Ecumenical Ministry

Bangalore – 9 April 2025
In a deeply reflective and forward-looking initiative, the National Biblical Catechetical and Liturgical Centre (NBCLC), in collaboration with the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI) Office for Dialogue and Desk for Ecumenism, hosted a national workshop on interreligious and ecumenical ministry on 8–9 April 2025 at NBCLC, Bangalore.

Marking a historic first, this workshop brought together more than sixty participants, comprising regional and diocesan directors entrusted with the mission of dialogue and unity across the Indian Church. The gathering focused on the Church’s theological, pastoral, and synodal approach to interfaith and ecumenical engagement in India.

The inaugural address was delivered by His Excellency Most Rev. Joseph Susainathan, Auxiliary Bishop of Bangalore. The keynote reflection was presented by His Excellency Most Rev. Dr. Joshua Mor Ignathios, Bishop of Mavelikara and National Chairman of the CBCI Office for Dialogue and Desk for Ecumenism. In his address, Bishop Mor Ignathios drew from the rich Eastern ecclesial traditions and the vision of the Synod on Synodality to call for deeper communion not only within the Catholic Church, but also with our neighbours of different faiths and traditions.

Distinguished scholars and practitioners of dialogue served as resource persons, including Rev. Fr. Dr. Anthoniraj Thumma, national secretary of the CBCI Dialogue Desk, and Rev. Fr. Dr. Robin Shaya Seelan, secretary of the Federation of Asian Bishops’ Conferences (FABC) for Interreligious and Ecumenical Affairs.

On the first day, attention was given to the nuances and urgency of interreligious dialogue in the Indian context. Jesuit Fr. Arun Louis, director of Ashirvad Dialogue Centre, Bengaluru, moderated a panel discussion that included speakers from five major religious traditions, fostering a space for mutual understanding and common witness.

The second day addressed ecumenism with inputs from Rev. Dr. Jose Kizhakkekuttu CMI, assistant professor at Dharmaram Vidya Kshetram (DVK), and Bishop Emeritus Surya Prakash of the Church of South India. Rev. Dr. Baptist Pius SVD, secretary of the Conference of Catholic Bishops of India (CCBI) Commission for Ecumenism, moderated the session that reflected on synodality in ecumenical relations.

The Holy Qurbono was celebrated on both days—first by His Excellency Most Rev. Dr. Joshua Mor Ignathios, and on the second day by His Grace Archbishop Peter Machado, Metropolitan Archbishop of Bangalore.

Participants shared that they left the workshop with renewed conviction to engage with fellow Christians and those of other faiths, not simply in formal forums, but through everyday acts of dialogue, justice, and communion.

This national workshop not only underscored the Church’s fidelity to the Gospel of Christ but reaffirmed her calling in India—to be a humble presence that unites, listens, and journeys with all, for the sake of God’s reign of peace and mercy.

28th Memorial of His Excellency Lawrence Mar Aprem Reverently Observed in Parassala

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28th Memorial of His Excellency Lawrence Mar Aprem Reverently Observed in Parassala

Parassala — The 28th memorial of His Excellency Lawrence Mar Aprem, a shepherd deeply beloved for his devoted service to the Malankara Catholic Church, was marked with profound solemnity and spiritual fervour by the Malankara Catholic Association (MCA) of the Parassala Eparchy. This sacred commemoration, rooted in our Church’s venerable traditions, offered a vivid reminder of the enduring legacy left by the late bishop.

The Holy Qurbono was celebrated at Mar Aprem Thirumeni’s own parish church, Velle Lumbu, also known as Mar Aprem Nagar. Presiding over the Divine Liturgy were His Excellency Most Rev. Dr. Thomas Mor Eusebius, Bishop of Parassala, alongside His Excellency Most Rev. Dr. Vincent Mor Paulos, Bishop of the Marthandam Eparchy. Their joint presence symbolised the unity and continuity of the Church’s apostolic mission.

In the sacred stillness following the liturgy, members of the MCA set forth on a pilgrimage to the final resting place of Mar Aprem Thirumeni at the Marthandam Cathedral Church. Their procession, steeped in prayer and reverence, was a moving testament to the deep spiritual bond that unites the faithful across our ecclesiastical districts.

Along the pilgrimage route, the procession received warm hospitality from several Malankara Catholic parishes. Parishioners and clergy alike greeted the pilgrims with heartfelt devotion, welcoming them through liturgical receptions and the singing of spiritual hymns. Such gestures reflected a shared commitment to honour the memory of a shepherd whose life was a beacon of faith and dedication.

Mar Aprem Thirumeni’s tireless service and pastoral zeal remain an inspiring call to all, especially to the younger faithful, inviting them to deepen their spiritual journey and commitment to the Church’s sacred mission. Under the stewardship of the MCA, this commemoration preserved the Church’s canonical dignity while reaffirming the vital importance of remembering and venerating the lives of our holy shepherds.

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A New Light in the North: The Inauguration of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Mission in Leeds

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A New Light in the North: The Inauguration of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Mission in Leeds

Leeds, United Kingdom – There are moments in ecclesial life when geography bends to grace, and a quiet corner of a distant land becomes part of a greater ecclesial story. Such a moment occurred on Sunday, 30 March 2025, as the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church marked a historic step in her mission across the British Isles with the inauguration and blessing of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Mission in Leeds.

The ceremony took place at St. Theresa’s Church, nestled within the St. John Henry Newman Parish Campus in Cross Gates, LS15 7JY, Leeds. The occasion, solemn yet deeply joyful, was graced by the presence of His Excellency Bishop Marcus Stock, the Latin Rite Bishop of the Diocese of Leeds, who presided over the official inauguration, symbolising the warm fraternity between the Latin Church in England and the Syro-Malankara Catholic faithful.

The Holy Qurbono was offered by Very Rev. Dr. Kuriakose Thadathil, the Special Pastor and Ecclesiastical Coordinator for the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church in the United Kingdom. During the liturgical celebration, he formally read the decree of establishment, declaring the formation of the St Bernabas Malankara Mission, Leeds, named after the saintly companion of the Apostle Paul—a fitting choice for a mission called to walk alongside a larger ecclesial body with humility, courage, and Gospel zeal.

The liturgical reception and agape that followed were moments of heartfelt fraternity, drawing together Malankara faithful from across the UK Region. This is no mere administrative expansion; it is a testimony to the living faith of our migrant families, whose deep roots in the West Syriac tradition now find new soil in English parish life.

This newly established mission will offer Holy Qurbono on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of each month at 2:30 PM, extending an open invitation to all Syro-Malankara Catholic faithful residing in and around Leeds to participate in the liturgy and community life.

As we look to the future, we give thanks to God for this blessed beginning. We remain grateful to the Diocese of Leeds, especially to Bishop Marcus Stock, for their support and openness. And we invoke the intercession of St. Bernabas, patron of the new mission, that this community may grow in charity, unity, and the fearless proclamation of the faith handed down to us from the apostles.

📍 Address for the faithful nearby:
St. Theresa’s Church, St. John Henry Newman Parish Campus, Cross Gates, LS15 7JY, Leeds, United Kingdom

🗓️ Regular Services:
2nd and 4th Sundays of Every Month
🕝 Time: 2:30 PM

We encourage all Malankara Catholic faithful residing in and around Leeds to attend the Holy Qurbono and join in the spiritual and communal life of this mission.

Syro-Malankara Catholic Church Witnesses the Installation of Aboon Mor Baselios Joseph I as Catholicos of the Jacobite Syrian Church

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Syro-Malankara Catholic Church Witnesses the Installation of Aboon Mor Baselios Joseph I as Catholicos of the Jacobite Syrian Church

Puthencruz, Kerala – 30 March 2025
In a moment of sacred continuity and historic significance for the Syriac Christian tradition in India, Aboon Mor Baselios Joseph I was installed as the Catholicos of the Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church during a deeply reverent ceremony held at the St. Athanasius Cathedral, Puthencruz Patriarchal Centre.

Thousands of clergy, religious, and faithful gathered to witness the Sunthroniso rite, the traditional proclamation of ecclesial leadership. As the faithful and clergy intoned the ancient acclamation Axios (“He is worthy”), the Church embraced its new shepherd, renewing its fidelity to the apostolic inheritance.

TThe official charter of appointment from His Holiness Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East, was solemnly read, affirming the communion between the See of Antioch and the Church in India.

Representing the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, His Eminent Beatitude Cardinal Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis Catholicos, Major Archbishop-Catholicos of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, participated in the ceremonies and the public felicitation, offering the prayers and fraternal good wishes of the Malankara Catholic community. His Beatitude’s presence reflected the spiritual bonds and mutual reverence that unite the Syriac traditions across ecclesiastical lines.

Earlier, Aboon Mor Baselios Joseph I had been consecrated Catholicos on 25 March 2025 at the St. Mary’s Syrian Orthodox Cathedral, adjacent to the Patriarchal Palace in Atchaneh, Lebanon. His Holiness Mor Ignatius Aphrem II personally presided over the consecration, underscoring the ancient apostolic ties between Antioch and the Syriac Churches of India.

Upon his arrival at Cochin International Airport, His Beatitude was welcomed by clergy, faithful, and civic dignitaries. Proceeding to the Patriarchal Centre at Puthencruz, he offered prayers at the tomb of the late Catholicos Mor Baselios Thomas I, entrusting his new ministry to the mercy and guidance of God.

The public meeting following the installation was inaugurated by Union Minister of State George Kurien, with felicitations offered by Kerala Industries Minister P. Rajeev, Member of Parliament Benny Behanan, MLA P. V. Sreenijan, and ecclesiastical leaders, including Major Archbishop Raphael Thattil of the Syro-Malabar Church, and Bishop Selvister Ponnumuthan.

Pilgrimage of Faith and Stewardship

Born on 10 November 1960 in Mulanthuruthy, Aboon Mor Baselios Joseph I has served the Church with unwavering dedication:

  • Ordained as a deacon on 25 March 1974 and as a priest on 25 March 1984,
  • Completed theological studies at St Patrick’s Pontifical University, Ireland (1988),
  • Consecrated as Metropolitan on 16 January 1994 under the name Joseph Mar Gregorios,
  • Shepherded the Kochi Diocese and undertaken responsibilities for the UK, Gulf-Europe, Kollam-Thumpamon-Niranam, Thrissur, Malabar, and Angamaly dioceses,
  • Elected Metropolitan Trustee of the Jacobite Syrian Church in 2019,
  • Declared Malankara Metropolitan in February 2024, and later elevated to Catholicos Assistant.

Now entrusted as the President of the Episcopal Synod, His Beatitude leads a Church that draws from the springs of apostolic tradition while responding to the call of faithful discipleship in a changing world.

The Syro-Malankara Catholic Church lifts heartfelt prayers that the ministry of His Beatitude may be marked by wisdom, courage, and a deepening communion in Christ.

“The Lord has chosen Zion; He has desired it for His dwelling place.” (Psalm 132:13)

Blessing of the Renewed Stations of the Cross at Ranni-Perunadu Pilgrim Church

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Blessing of the Renewed Stations of the Cross at Ranni-Perunadu Pilgrim Church

Ranni-Perunadu – 29 March 2025

It is often in retracing the sorrowful steps of Christ that the soul finds its own path made clear. At the revered pilgrimage shrine of Ranni-Perunadu Kurishumala, this sacred journey was renewed once more, as the blessing of the newly restored Way of the Cross was solemnly celebrated under the leadership of His Eminent Beatitude Cardinal Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis Catholicos, Major Archbishop-Catholicos of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church.

Amidst the mist-kissed hills and the quiet hush of prayer, the faithful gathered at this hallowed site, where generations have climbed in devotion and descended in grace. The Kurishumala pilgrimage path, long cherished as a beacon of spiritual renewal for the Malankara faithful, has now been given fresh life through the reverent restoration of its fourteen stations.

With prayerful solemnity and the cadence of Syriac chant rising through the air, His Eminent Beatitude led the rite of blessing, recalling the inexhaustible love of the Saviour who bore the Cross not upon gilded altars, but through dust, blood, and silence.

This act of rededication was not merely architectural but spiritual—a renewal of our own readiness to walk the Way of the Cross in daily life. It is a path of surrender and strength, where the weight of suffering is borne not alone, but with Christ who goes ahead of us.

In the words spoken at the foot of the hill:

“Every step of the Cross carries the echo of our prayers. May all who walk this path find strength in weakness, light in sorrow, and resurrection beyond every Golgotha.”

Faithful from various Ecclesiastical Districts and parishes made their ascent alongside clergy, religious, and laity, their presence bearing witness to the unity of our Church—drawn together under the Cross, the eternal sign of our salvation.

Konni Ecclesiastical District Bible Convention Inaugurated by His Excellency Mor Chrysostom

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Konni Ecclesiastical District Bible Convention Inaugurated by His Excellency Mor Chrysostom

Konni, Pathanamthitta – With hearts lifted in prayer and the Word proclaimed with fervour, the Bible Convention of the Konni Ecclesiastical District was solemnly inaugurated at the Nedumpara Mount Carmel Auditorium. The convention was inaugurated by His Excellency Most Rev. Dr. Yoohanon Mor Chrysostom, Bishop Emeritus of Pathanamthitta, who lit the ceremonial lamp and addressed the gathering with a powerful exhortation on the enduring significance of Scripture in the life of the Church.

Organised under the leadership of the Malankara Catholic Association, Konni Region, the event drew participation from priests, religious, and lay faithful from various parishes across the district.

Presiding over the inaugural session was Rev. Fr. Varghese, the District President of the Malankara Catholic Association. The keynote address was delivered by Rev. Fr. Benny Varghese, Director of the Ecclesiastical District Bible Apostolate, who also led spiritual sessions focused on inner renewal through the Word of God.

Notable attendees included Rev. Fr. Mathew, Rev. Sr. Shalini S.I.C., and several others involved in the district-level apostolates.

The convention includes spiritual talks, scriptural reflections, praise and worship, and youth-led programmes, and is scheduled to continue today at 2:30 PM, welcoming faithful from across the Konni Ecclesiastical District.

This gathering of the faithful reflects a vibrant commitment to the Holy Bible as the fountain of renewal and mission within the Malankara Syrian Catholic Church, especially in these spiritually fertile regions of Pathanamthitta.

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