APOSTOLIC VISIT OF THE HOLY FATHER TO INDIA

APOSTOLIC VISIT of HIS HOLINESS IGNATIUS ZAKKA I IWAS,

The Patriarch of Antioch and all the East,

The Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Church

His Holiness in INDIA from October 17-29th, 2008

KOCHI, Oct. 29: After an historic 12 day visit to the Malankara Church, Moran Mor Ignatius Zakka-I Iwas, the Patriarch of Antioch & all the East and the Supreme head of the Universal Syrian Orthodox Church, left for the Patriarchate in Damascus today morning at 9.30 am from the Kochi International Airport in Nedumbasserry. His Beatitude the Catholicos Mor Baselios Thomas-I, all the 26 Metropolitans of Malankara, several priests, deacons, Church office bearers, Kerala Legislative Assembly Members, Government Officials and a large gathering of faithful were present in the airport to bid farewell to the spiritual supreme. On the way to the airport, H.H. Patriarch visited the 1200 year-old Mor Sabor Aphroth Syrian Church at Akaparambu and offered prayers at the memorial erected there in remembrance of the former Malankara Metropolitan St. Athanasius Paulose of Aluva.

The present apostolic visit of the Holy Father was the 4th since H.H's installation as the supreme head of the Syriac Orthodox Church in 1980. During this sojourn, the Holy father has visited and led the Mooron consecration of many churches in Ernakulam, Kottayam and Pathanamthitta districts of the state and also participated in many receptions arranged by the faithful at many places. Everywhere, enormous number of faithful were present to have a glimpse of their supreme head and to receive blessings from the Holy father.

Elevation of three Church fathers to Sainthood; Maphryono Mor Baselios Shakralla (AD 1764, Kandanad), Mor Coorilos Yuyakkim, the Patrirachal delegate (AD 1874, Mulanthuruthy) and Mor Coorilos Paulose Kochuparamabil, the former Malankara Metropolitan and the regional head of the Church in India (AD 1917, Panampady), was one of the major events during this 4th apostolic visit. The concerned Patriarchal declarations were readout in the presence of H.H. the Patriarch in three different ceremonies held on 20th, 21st and 24th of October, at the Mulanthuruthy, Kandanad and Panampady churches respectively where the mortal remains of the canonised fathers are interred.

On 19th October, the Holy father inaugurated the concluding programs of the year-long Sacerdotal Golden Jubilee celebrations of H.B. Catholicos Baselios Thomas-I, the regional head of the Church in India, at the Marine Drive ground in Kochi where a mammoth gathering assembled to greet H.H. the Patriarch and H.B. the Catholicos. Besides all the Syrian Orthodox Metropolitans from Malankara, the three visiting Metropolitans, the accompanying Rambans, Priests and Sisters were present during the occasion. Two senior bishops, representing the Episcopal churches of Kerala also attended the meeting. The honorable Chief Minister of Kerala, the Home Minister of India, several Ministers of State, political leaders, and other State and regional dignitaries spoke on the occasion.

On 23rd October the Holy father visited the Manjnikkara Mor Ignatius dayro where the mortal remains of St. Ignatius Elias III, the 119th Patriarch of the See of Antioch and a

ll the East, is entombed. The Patriarch spend a few hours in the dayro and offered prayers at the tomb of his predecessor and the Metropolitans entombed there. Early in the morning the Patriarch participated in the Holy Qurbono celebrated at the Cathedral in the Knanaya Archdiocesan headquarters, after which a special session of the 'Knanaya Association' was summoned to welcome His Holiness and to felicitate H.B. Catholicos on his sacerdotal golden jubilee year.

Another important event during this Apostolic visit of H.H was the meeting of the 'Jacobite Syrian Christian Association', the supreme administrative body of the Malankara Church which had its origin in 1876. If the first historic 'association meeting' was convened at the Mulanthuruthy Mar Thoman Church more than a century ago under the presdient-ship of the then Patriarch of the See of Antioch, Mor Ignatius Pathros IV; the present 'Association' was held at one of the major pilgrim centers of the Malankara Church, the Kothamangalam Mar Thoma Church where the sacred tomb of Maphryono St. Baselios Yeldho is situated. About 3000 delegates including priests and laymen from more than 600 churches, representing almost 1.5 million Malayalee faithful, participated in this meeting held at Kothamangalam on Saturday 25th October. The physical presence of His Holiness Ignatius Zakka-I Iwas, the supreme patron of the 'Association', increased the significance of this meeting which is being convened after a gap of more than one year.

The very next day on Sunday the 26th, the Episcopal Synod of the Malankara Church met at the nearby Kothamangalam St. Mary's Church (Valiya Pally) under the presidentship of H.H. Ignatius Zakka-I Iwas and H.B. Catholicos Baselios Thomas-I. All the 26 Metropolitans from Malankara and three visiting metropolitans; the Patriarchal Assistant Mor Philoxinus Mattias Nayis, Mor Clemis Awgen of California diocese and Mor Clemis Daniel Kourieh of Beirut, participated in the Episcopal Synod. Speaking on the occasion, the Patriarch asked the fellow Metropolitans to work more for the unity and spiritual nourishment of the faithful.

The special interactive session of the Holy father with the Sunday school students on Sunday 26th was a defining moment for the thousands of young boys and girls who came from different regions of the state. Various cultural programs depicting the Indian way of life were also shown on that day.

On Monday 27th October, the Holy father visited the Malecuriz dayro, where the mortal remains of late lamented Catholicos of the East, Mor Baselios Paulose II, is interred. Incidentally it was Catholicos Mor Baselios Paulose II who led the patriarchal enthronement ceremony of H.H. Ignatius Zakka-I Iwas, way back in September 1980. Later during the first apostolic visit to Malankara in 1982, it was the late lamented Catholicos who travelled together with His Holiness during the entire period of the visit. Earlier in the day, the Holy father also visited the Malankara Syrian Orthodox Theological Seminary in Vettikkal near Mulanthuruthy and honoured its founder principal.

Except for the two days halt in Kottayam, it was at the recently constructed Church headquarters in Puthencuriz that the Patriarch stayed during the entire period of visit. Like all the previous visits this 4th apostolic visit of the holy father has also become an ever memorable one for the Malankara faithful. His Holiness conquered the heart of millions and strengthened the centuries old ties the Church in Malankara has with the Holy See of St. Peter.

Malankara Malpan Very Rev. Curien Corespicopus

Kaniamparambil with HIS HOLINESS