The newly formed Nilackal diocese of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church will be inaugurated at Thottamon St.Thomas Cathedral in Ranni on Saturday.
Addressing a press conference here on Tuesday, Fr. Shyju Kurien, secretary of the diocese and Fr. Abraham Mathai, public relations officer, said the new diocese would have 40 parishes in Nilackal, Kanakappalom, Vayalathala, Ayroor and Ranni. The Rs.1-crore worth administrative complex of the new diocese had been set up in Ranni town, they added.
The Catholicos of the East and Malankara Metropolitan, Moran Mor Baselius Mar Thoma Paulose-II, will formally inaugurate the diocese and its administrative complex at a function at the cathedral on Saturday forenoon. Metropolitan of the new diocese Joshua Mar Nicodimos will lead the holy eucharist at the Holy Trinity Ashram chapel in Ranni at 7 a.m. The Catholicos will lead the consecration of the new diocese headquarters, St. Thomas Bishop's House, at 11 a.m.
Reception
The Catholicos and other bishops will be accorded a reception on the St. Thomas Cathedral premises at 1.15 p.m. The installation of Joshua Mar Nicodimos as the Metropolitan will be held amidst a holy eucharist around 1.30 p.m. A public meeting will also be held at the cathedral parish hall at 2 p.m. The Catholicos will inaugurate the meeting. Union Minister of State for Power K.C. Venugopal and Leader of the Opposition Oommen Chandy will be present on the occasion.
Jose Baby, Deputy Speaker, will launch the website of the Nilackal diocese and Mar Mathew Arackal, Kanjirappally bishop, will inaugurate the housing scheme of the new diocese.
Anto Antony, MP, Raju Abraham, Joseph M. Puthussery, MLAs, Fr. Johns Abraham Konatt, clergy trustee of the church, and Babu George, district panchayat president, will also address the meeting. Mar Nicodimos will preside over the function.
