On Thursday, 18 September 2025, at half past two in the afternoon, His Beatitude Ignatius Joseph III Younan, Patriarch of the Syriac Catholic Church of Antioch, took part in the closing session of the fortieth anniversary celebrations of the St. Ephrem Ecumenical Research Institute (SEERI) in Kottayam, Kerala.
The gathering was graced by His Grace Most Rev. Dr. Thomas Mor Koorilos, Metropolitan Archbishop of Tiruvalla and Chairman of the Institute, alongside bishops representing various Churches of Kerala, clergy, laity, and a number of international scholars, particularly orientalists. Rev. Fr. Jacob Thekkeparambil, the founder and Director of SEERI, presided over the occasion.
The Patriarch was accompanied by Most Rev. Barnaba Joseph Habash, Most Rev. Ephrem Joseph Abba, Abbot Edmond Rizk, Monsignor Habib Mourad, Monsignor Abdo Abou Kassem, Rev. Fr. Jean Younes, Rev. Fr. Paul Kass Dawood, Rev. Fr. Saïd Massouh, Rev. Fr. Karim Kalash, Rev. Fr. Ephrem al-Jazrawi, Rev. Fr. Tarek Khayyat, Mother Huda al-Halou, Sister Ikhlas Sheeto, as well as Rev. Fr. Joseph Dargam and Dr. Joelle Turk Dargam, who were also among the lecturers during the sessions.
The Patriarch was received with a Syriac hymn of welcome reserved for chief hierarchs, entering the hall amid resounding applause and acclamations.
In his address, His Beatitude recalled the Feast of the Holy Cross, recently celebrated by the Universal Church:
“The Cross of our Lord Jesus gathers us and unites us. Today, coming together from across the world, we sing in Syriac: Ṣlībā zkhā, ṣlībā zkhē, ṣlībā āthā d-shaynā, ṣlībā nīshā d-zaḵūthā — ‘The Cross is victorious, the Cross triumphs; the Cross is the sign of peace, the Cross is the banner of victory.’”
He continued by honouring St. Ephrem the Syrian, patron of the Institute:
“Though a deacon, he became the teacher of the whole Church, gathering us here today from many nations. We rejoice to celebrate this jubilee with you, and we thank Malphono Fr. Jacob for his lifelong dedication to strengthening the shared heritage of the Syriac Churches.”
The Patriarch also recalled St. Ignatius of Antioch, from whom the Antiochene Patriarchs take their name:
“He was the first to write that the Church of Christ is ‘Catholic’, that is, universal. This truth stands in perfect harmony with the Nicene Creed, professed by all Churches: we believe in one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church.”
His Beatitude concluded by thanking the organisers for inviting him:
“We are joyful to be among you, clergy and laity alike. We all take pride in SEERI and pledge to keep its mission alive. For Christ Himself spoke not Malayalam, English, French, Italian, or Arabic, but Syriac — the language in which He prayed with His Mother Mary, with Joseph, His guardian, with His apostles, and with His disciples. It is the language our Churches preserve as a sacred inheritance.”
The session also featured words of welcome from bishops, priests, religious, and laity, highlighting SEERI’s pioneering role in advancing Syriac language and heritage, and paying tribute to the lifelong dedication of its founder, Fr. Jacob Thekeparampil.
As a sign of fraternal love and gratitude, the Patriarch presented Fr. Jacob with a plaque engraved with the Lord’s Prayer and the Angelic Salutation in Syriac. He also distributed commemorative gifts and certificates of appreciation on behalf of the Institute to scholars and lecturers devoted to its mission. The celebrations concluded with a bouquet of Syriac hymns.
Patriarch Visits SEERI Library and Manuscripts
Later that same day, at five o’clock in the evening, His Beatitude visited the Library and Manuscripts Section of SEERI. Guided by Rev. Fr. Jacob Thekkeparambil, the Patriarch toured the collection, viewing volumes of great importance in Syriac studies alongside a precious archive of manuscripts.
He blessed the work undertaken at SEERI, praising Fr. Jacob and all his collaborators for their tireless efforts in preserving and transmitting the Syriac language and heritage, describing it as a “treasure for the whole Church.”
Accompanying him on this visit were Most Rev. Barnaba Joseph Habash, Most Rev. Ephrem Joseph Abba, Abbot Edmond Rizk, Monsignor Habib Mourad, Monsignor Abdo Abou Kassem, Rev. Fr. Jean Younes, Rev. Fr. Paul Kass Dawood, Rev. Fr. Saïd Massouh, Rev. Fr. Joseph Dargam, Rev. Fr. Karim Kalash, Rev. Fr. Ephrem al-Jazrawi, Rev. Fr. Tarek Khayyat, Mother Huda al-Halou, Sister Ikhlas Sheeto, and Dr. Joelle Turk Dargam.
Subscribe to WhatsApp News Updates:
