The Patriarch of Antioch and head of the universal Syrian Orthodox Church, Ignatius Aphrem II, on Sunday declared Jacobite Church metropolitan trustee Joseph Gregorios as the Malankara metropolitan in keeping with the wishes of Catholicos Baselios Thomas I to consider his advancing age and the recommendations of the synod of the Jacobite Church.
The Patriarch, who presented a cross to officially designate Joseph Mar Gregorios as the head of the Jacobite Church in India, said that the title of the Malankara Metropolitan was not new but an old one in keeping with the traditions of the Church.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, who inaugurated the Patriarchal Day and valedictory of the Golden Jubilee of Catholicos Baselios Thomas I’s ordination as bishop, said the government and the people of the State wanted the Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church to continue to exist keeping its identity as a Church intact. He said the government would also extend all support to efforts by the Church to find peace.
The Patriarch was the chief guest during the celebrations at the Patriarchal Centre at Puthenkurisu, the headquarters of the Jacobite Church. He said the Jacobite Church needed strong leaders, especially as the Catholicos had advanced in age. Catholicos Baselios Thomas I was greeted by the Patriarch and the Chief Minister on his arrival.
The Chief Minister said the life of the Catholicos had several parallels with the current phase of Kerala, which is struggling against odds and forging ahead to secure what was due to it in justice. As the senior-most Christian leader in the State, the Catholicos had set an example of Christian leadership, the Chief Minister said. He called on the Catholicos to impart the message of Christ to members of the Jacobite Church even in the midst of difficulties facing the Church.
The Patriarch thanked the immense love accorded to him by the Church members and underlined that the Church, though it originated in Antioch, in India it was not foreign but indigenous and had adopted several aspects of life in India in its liturgy and worship.
Earlier in the day, the Patriarch was given a rousing reception by thousands of Jacobite Church members. Cardinal Baselios Cleemis was among the invitees to the programme.
Joseph Mar Gregorios said the Chief Minister had been supportive of the Jacobite Church and had striven hard to find peace.
S. Somnath, Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation, received profuse praise from the visiting Patriarch. He said the ISRO’s achievement in space symbolised the great progress made by India. Dr. Somnath was awarded the first Catholicos Baselios Prize on the occasion.
