The 37the edition of the Malankara Syrian Christian Association held here on Thursday elected George Paul as new lay trustee and M.O. John as clergy trustee of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church.
While Fr John defeated Johns Abraham Konat, who was seeking re-election, Mr. Paul defeated Roy M. Mathew Muthoot.
The association meeting formally began with special prayers at the Mar Elia Cathedral here. Later, Baselius Mar Thoma Paulos II, Catholicos of the East and Malankara Metropolitan, came in a special vehicle to the huge pandal near the cathedral followed by other metropolitans and members of the outgoing managing committee.
Calling the meeting into order, the Catholicos said the success of the meeting was the clear sign that the members of the Church fully endorsed its apostolic and democratic legacy. It also makes it clear that the Church was fully empowered to address the challenges of the modern world, he said.
In addition to the formalisation of the election of the managing committee members, the main agenda of the meeting was the election to the two key posts of trustees, one representing the laity and the other the clergy.
The managing committee, the highest decision-making body of the Malankara Syrian Orthodiox Church, consists of 141 members, out of which 47 are priests and the rest, elected from laity.
