Eparchy of Mavelikkara Inaugurated, Joshua Mar Ignathios Installed as it’s First Bishop

The New Eparchy of Mavelikkara, Kerala was inaugurated and Bishop Joshua Mar Ignathios installed its first Bishop today, Feb. 16, 2007.

Pope Benedict XVI had given his assent to the decision of the Synod of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church for the creation of the new Eparchy of Mavelikara and the election of Joshua Mar Ignathios as its first Bishop. This new Eparchy was created by bifurcating the Archieparchy of Trivandrum.

The announcement of the creation of the new Eparchy was done on Jan. 02, 2007.

The ceremonies started with a vehicle rally. Hundreds of vehicles accompanying the specially decorated carriage of the first Bishop of the new diocese– at 7 am from Panikkaruveetil house in Puthiyakavu, the ancestral home of the late Mar Ivanios. The ceremonies at the Cathedral started with a colourful welcome for the metropolitan and other guests. The mass started at 8.30 am.

Major Archbishop-designate Baselios Mar Cleemis Catholicose led the mass, where church leaders from across the country were present. Synod chancellor Fr Antony Valiyavilayil read out the decree announcing Bishop Mar Ignathios’s installation.

Archbishop Joseph Powathil inaugurated the public meeting, where he insisted that the church’s interventions and opinions on social issues should not be interpreted as an effort to control the official state machinery. Nor are they effort to communalise issues.

Archbishop Powathil pointed out that the state cannot solve all the spiritual and temporal needs of the common man, and the church had a critical role in fighting social evils. Church cannot turn a blind eye to these challenges, he said.

Malankara Catholic Church administrator Geevarghese Mar Dionysius chaired the public meeting attended by thousands of devotees. Among those who spoke were the Archbishop of Mumbai Oswald Gracious, Major Archbishop-designate Baselios Mar Cleemis Catholicose, Metropolitan of Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church Zacharias Mar Theophilus, Archbishop of Thiruvananthapuram Latin Archdiocese Susaipakiam and Church of South India Bishop Sam Mathew.

An array of political leaders from all parties, social leaders and other representatives of major organizations also spoke at the function. Among them were the state law minister M Vijayakumar, transport minister Mathew T Thomas, opposition leader Oommen Chandy, state Congress party president Ramesh Chennithala, Members of Parliament CS Sujata and PJ Kurian, Chief Secretary Lissy Jacob, NSS taluk union president KM Rajagopala Pillai and SNDP taluk union president R Subhas.

Mar Ignathios thanked the Lord for all the blessings, and expressed his confidence to shape the new diocese with a vibrant spiritual life and active participation of the people. Bishop Ignathios is presently the secretary of Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council and the chairman of the Labour Commission of the Catholic Bishops Conference of India.

Bishop Joshua Mar Ignathios, was born on 24th May, 1950 at Kizhakketheruvu, Kottarakara, Kerala.

After his Seminary education at St. Aloysius Seminary, Pattom and at St. Paul?s Seminary, Trichy, he was ordained priest on 20th April 1978. Besides B. Th. at Urbaniana University, Rome, he gained his Master?s degree in History, M.Ed and Ph.D. in Education Administration. He served as Assistant Parish Priest at Kirathoor (Marthandom Diocese) and for fourteen years (1982-96) he was Parish Priest of St. Thomas Malankara Catholic Church, Padi, Chennai, during which period he was also Principal of the Sacred Heart Higher Secondary School, Chennai.

On 10th March, 1997, he was appointed Corepiscopo and on 15th April, 1998, Auxiliary Bishop of Trivandrum. From 1996 onwards he was Chief Vicar General of the Major Archdiocese of Trivandrum and from December 2001-2005 he held the office of Secretary of Kerala Catholic Bishops? Council (KCBC).

At present, Bishop Joshua Mar Ignathios is the Chairman of the Labour Commission (CBCI), Patron of All India Christian Council as well as Chairman of All India Christian Council (Kerala Region). He is also Chairman of the Synodal Commissions for Social Apostolate, Education, Communication, Health and Dalit Christians in Malankara Catholic Church and Chairman of KCBC Commission for Temperance Movement (Madyavirudha Samithy).

Koorilos Pithav’s Message on the Election

It is with great joy that I write to you. We have a new Bava Tirumeni in the person of Mar Cleemis Pithave, whom the Lord has truly fashioned. With due permission I would like to inform you what has really happend in the Synod. I write this because I know you have a right to know.

The Synod fathers entered into a day of prayer and fasting after the Memorial service of our Cyril Baselios Bava Tirumeni. The Retreat was led by His Grace Archbishop Mar Powathil. WE went for prayer and adoration. 8th Feb was a day of prayer and fast in the entire Malankara Church. On th 8th at 11 a.m. we went to the tomb of our Pithakkanmar and then we entered into the Synod of Election. All the seven bishops were present. The president was unanimously elected and election proceedures were given. Then ballots were distributed for the first round of election. As it was prohibited by norm no discussion was held regarding anything in the election time. This is to uphold the freedom of the Synod Fathers. In the first ballot itself it was evident to the Bishops that the Lord was choosing Mar Cleemis pithave for this office, however, the election was inconclusive since there was no two third majority. Then we went for prayer and adoration. At 3 p.m. we came back and recited the rosary and the second round was held. There our Cleemis pithave was unanimously elected Father and Head of our Church. Then as per the canon, the senior most bishop, here Mar Timotheos pithave asked the Catholicos elect whether he was willing to accept this decision of Fathers. He accepted. Then we immediately sent letters to the Holy Father through the Nunciature. We got the confirmation of the election in about 24 hours. We wanted the announcement to be held on 10th since it was the second anniversary of our Major Archiepiscopate. After we got the confirmation the Catholicos elect made profession of faith in the Synod and the Synod fathers made their allegiance to the new Catholicos. Then the annoucnement was held on 10th at 4.30 p.m. It was a great moment of joy for us. WE have set an example for all. After the new code came in it was the first election in the life of the Eastern Catholic Churches. WE could set and example of fellowship and true inspiration of the Holy Spirit. We bishops are so happy that we fully and freely yielded to the promptings of the Spirit. It was TRULY A HOLY SYNOD. It was holy because it was the Holy Spirit who was leading, we were only instruments. I know we have shown a great maturity and this was also what the Holy Father meant when he said we are the fastest growing Church. I know everything is because of the intercession of the blessed Mother and the humble servant of the Lord our dear Mar Ivanios Pithave, the founder of our Reunion movement. Let us be truly happy that we have a great bava thirumeni as Mar Cleemis pithave. 

with love, 
Pithave

Catholicos Bawa Cleemis Baselios – Major Archbishop-Designate

Archbishop Isaac Mar Cleemis Thottunkal, aged 47, presently Archbishop of Tiruvalla has been elected ‘Catholicos Bawa’, head of the Catholic Syro-Malankara Church.

He was elected by the Syro-Malankara Bishops’ Synod which met between February. 7th to 10th, 2007 in Catholicos Centre, Trivandrum, Kerala.

The announcement was made by Bishop Geevarghese Mar Divannasios.

The Holy Father has granted approval to the apointment.

The new Major Archbishop would be called Catholicos Bawa Cleemis Baselios and would be installed Major Archbishop of Trivadrum Archdiocese on March 03, 2007.

The Major Metropolitan See of Trivandrum was vacant due to the death of His Beatitude Cyril Mar Baselios who went to his heavenly reward on Jan. 18, 2007.

During the interim period, Bishop of Bathery Geevarghese Mar Divannasios was elected Administrator.

Archbishop Isaac Mar Cleemis is the Second Vice President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India (CBCI), elected during the General Body Meeting 2006 held in Bangalore.

The newly-elected Major Archbishop was born on June 15, 1959 and ordained priest on Aug. 15, 1986. He was consecrated Bishop on Aug. 15, 2001 and made Archbishop on May 15, 2006.

Fr. Dr. Chacko Aerath – Elected Bishop Co-ordinator for MCCIETR

Rev.Dr. Chacko Aerath OIC has been designated as the Bishop Co-Ordinator for Bhaya Kerala Malankara Missions (MCCIETR) on 7th February 2007 at 4:45pm at St.Mary’s Cathedral, Pattom, by Malankara Catholic Church Administrator most Rev. Geevarghese Mar Divannyasios.

Rev. Fr.Chacko Aerath was born on 3rd December 1960, in Karikkulathu family in Ranni. He is the youngest son of Mr. Geevarghese and Mrs. Rachel. He has two brothers and five sisters out of them three are Nuns working in the Bethany Sisters Congregation. He ordained as a Bethany priest on October 2nd 1986. From the year 1989 to 1994 he was in Rome and he took a Doctorate in Theology. He was the Provincial Superior of Navjyoti Province, Aluva from 2000 to 2006. Before being ordained as the Bishop Co-ordinator, he was the rector and superior of Bethany Ashram, Aluva and Minor Seminary.