Mr. Daniel Babu, Mumbai on Bp. Mar Barnabas enthronement

Enthronement (sunthroniso) of His Grace Jacob Mar Barnabas and a solemn reception to His Beatitude Moran Baselios Cleemis Catholica Bava was held at New Delhi on 22nd March 2007.

The ceremonies started off with a liturgical reception to all the Mar Divannasios, Mar Chrysostom, Mar Ignathios, Mar Koorilos, Mar Thomas, Mar Barnabas and the Catholica Bava. This was followed by the blessing of the new church at Neb Serai in New Delhi. His Beatitude Moran Baselios Cleemis led the blessing of the new church. The newly consecrated Bishop Jacob Mar Barnabas sat on the throne and read the Gospel of St. John saying ?I am the good shepherd? The Apostolic Nuncio of Vatican to India His Excellency Pedro Lopez Quintana then handed over a lighted candle to symbolize the installation of the new Bishop. This was followed by a public meeting presided by His Beatitude the Cathoica Bava and inaugurated by His Grace Vincent Concecao Archbishop of New Delhi. Felicitations to His Beatitude and the new Bishop was given by Shri Vayalar Ravi Cabinet minister for Overseas Indian arrears and Shri Oscar Fernandez Minister of State for Labour and Employment, His Grace Stansilaus Fernandez Archbishop of Ahmedabad and Secretary General of the CBCI, His Grace Job Mar Philexinos Bishop of the Syrian Orthodox church in New Delhi. A souvenir for the Bahya badrassanam was published when Vicar General of Tiruvalla handed over the first copy to Mar Chrysostom. Rev Fr. Abraham Kakanatt was the MC for the function. Dignitaries who attended included Rev Fr George Thomas Kallumkal OIC, Superior General of the OIC, Mother Benjamin Mother General of the SIC, Shri. Francis George M.P, Shri P.C Thomas M.P, Rev Fr Thomas Kochuthundiyil Chancellor Trivandrum Archdiocese, Rev Fr Antony Valiyavilayil OIC Chancellor of the Holy Synod, Cherian Ramnalil Cor-Episocpa and Chief Vicar General of Tiruvalla Archdiocese. Representatives from 38 mission of India presented shawls to the new Bishop. The proceedings were attended by about 500 malankarites who came from 38 mission units in 13 states. There was agape for all who attended.

The next day the new Bishop celebrated mass with Mar Divannasios and Mar Ignathios as co-celebrants. After breakfast various meeting were held with the Bishops and MCA, MCYM, priests and Rev Sisters. The sessions were moderated by Mar Barnabas, Mar Divannasios and Mar Ignathios. Catholica Bava gave the concluding remarks. In all the meetings indicated a lot of positive growth prospects for the Malankara Church in the mission areas outside the territorium proprium. Overall the functions at New Delhi was a rewarding experience to the Malankara faithful after a long wait of innumerable Bahya Bhadrasana conventions.

Koorilos Pithav’s Message on Bp. Mar Barnabas

Once again I bring you good news about our church. On Saturday the 10th of March we got yet another bishop ordained for our church, especially for taking care of the faithful out side the boundaries of our dioceses. The new bishop is called Most Rev. Dr. Jacob Mar Barnabas. It was also a wonderful and spirit filled service. It was well attended. The ceremony has five moments: 1 the announcement and invitation of the Synod to the candidate for episcopacy and the bishops knelt down before the candidate and the candidate in turn prostrated before the synod saying that he accepts the call and will be faithful to the Lord. Then the letter of appointment was read out. Then we began the Mass. The second moment was the reading of the Gospel from the neck of the candidate. The primary duty of the bishop is to preach the word of God and to give the right instruction at all times. Then there was the promise taken by the candidate. After that special prayers and anointing of the spirit from the holy Sacrament. The candidate was hidden in the vestment of the main celebrant and from the Holy Mysteries the power was taken and the candidate was anointed. Then he was signed by the triune God as Barnabas for the Church and thereafter the faithful chanted OXIOS and this was followed by the Gospel reading by the New Bishop. This was followed by handing over the pastoral staff for the new bishop. Then he blessed the congregation with the staff and we continued the holy Mass. There was also a public reception and it was also well attended. 

The official assumption of charge by our bishop Mar Barnabas is on the 22nd of March in Delhi. The entire hierarchy of the Malankara church will be present. The CM of Delhi and other cabinet ministers are attending the meeting. The new bishop will reside in Delhi and operate from there. It is a great event inthe life of the Church. Let us pray for our new bishop and the outside diocese missions.

God bless us,

with love, Pithave.

Bishop Dr. Jacob Mar Barnabas, Elected titular Bishop of Bapara and Apostolic Visitator of MCCIETR

Rev.Dr. Chacko Aerath OIC who was designated as the Apostolic Visitator for Bhaya Kerala Malankara Missions (MCCIETR) on 7th February 2007 was consecrated as Bishop Jacob Mar Barnabas on Saturday, 10th March, 2007 at St. Mary Cathedral, Pattom, Trivandrum.

The main celebrant of the function was Catholicos Cleemis Mar Baselios. All the Bishops of the Syro Malankara Catholic Church fold were present for the celebration.

Following the consecration, there was a public meeting to felicitate the new Bishop.

The Sunthroneeso took place on 22nd March, 2007, at Nabseri in Delhi, the seat of His Excellency.

Koorilos Pithav’s message on Catholicos’ installation

Yesterday was yet another moment of great joy that our second major archbishop Catholicos was installed in the presence of Cardinals, archbishops and bishops and Hundreds of clergy, religious and thousands of lay faithful. The function started at 8 am with a small reception but colorful and meaningul. We did not want to cause any inconvenience to the general public and therefore it was done inside our cathedral compound. The main celebrant was our administrator Most Rev. Geevarghese Mar Divannasios. All our bishops and the bishop elect Msgr. Chacko Aerath also concelebrated in the liturgy. It was such a solemn celebration. Our dear Archbishop of Changancherry Most Rev. Dr. Joseph Powathil preached the homily. It was such a wonderful homily. Then after the elevation of the sacred mysteries and the intercessory prayers to our blessed Mother and Saints we proceeded with the installation which in canonical terms is called enthronement. The Holy See has sent Mosignor Maurizio Malvestiti, teh secretary of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches and our own Rev. Dr. Johnson Kailmala who is undersecretary in the congregation participated in the ceremony. The service had three solemn moments: The invitation by the Synod Fathers to accept the call of being the Catholicos and all the memebers knelt before the Catholicos elect and then the Catholicos Elect knelt down before the Synod and said he is willing to accept the call by the Grace of the Lord. The second moment is prayer over the catholicos. All the ordained bishops participated in the prayer. They kept their right hand over the shoulders of the catholicos elect. Then was the oxios and reading the gospel. The third moment was the collegiality expressed by handing over the Staff (Amshavadi) to the new catholicos. All the bishops held on to the staff according to their seniority and in the end the main celebrant handed over the staff with a small prayer. Then the new Catholiocs blessed the community with the staff. Well it was such a moving event. After the holy mass there was a public meeting in which the CM of Kerala inaugurated. The Opposition leader and many ministers and MPS and MLAS and political leaders participated. The CBCI and CCBI presidents, the Major Archbishop of the Syro Malabar Church, His Emience Cardinal Varkey Vithayathil gave their benedictory address. Cardinal Varkey Vithayathil Pithave was so sweet in appreciating our church and he said two things: It is a great moment for you since you are a people who take legitimate pride in being Malnkara Catholics. Then he said this event shows your bishops are so united and one in their action and leadership. That the bishops did not have anyother consideration other than able leadership and good fortune of the church that they elected the junior most as catholicos. I could write much more. Let me tell you my people. We are a great church. Our Bava thirumeni will do very well in Trivandrum. He has such rare qualities of a good leader and we are going to profit by this in the years to come. let us pray for our bava thirumeni. It is through him that the world is going to see the face of the Malankara Church and to a good extend the true meaning of Christianity. Our blessed Mother protect our bava tirumeni through her powerful intercession.

with love and prayers, 

Pithave

Elected by the Synod, Major Archbishop Issac Mar Cleemis, officially became the second Catholica Bawa of the Syro Malankara Catholic Church

Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis was installed as the second Major Archbishop and Catholicos of the Syro Malankara Catholic Church before a large gathering of the faithful and dignitaries at a solemn function here on Monday.

Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis, 48, is the youngest to occupy the highest office of the Church since its formation in 1930. He is also the youngest head among the 22 uniat Churches in the Catholic Church, according to the Church authorities.

The installation ceremony, which took place at St. Mary’s Cathedral at Pattom around 8 a.m., was led by Malankara Catholic Church Administrator Geevarghese Mar Divannasios.

The installation began with the Prefect seeking the consent of Mar Cleemis for his installation. He was later seated on a throne and lifted up three times by the chancellors from various Malankara Catholic dioceses to mark the installation.

Each time the throne was lifted, a priest specially designated by the prefect chanted ‘Oxios’, a Syriac word which means ‘he is eligible’. The word was chorused by the gathering. The Major Archbishop then blessed the gathering.

Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Pedro Lopez Quintana, CBCI President Cardinal Telesphore Toppo, CCBI President Archbishop Oswald Gracious and Major Archbishop of Syro-Malabar Church Cardinal Varkey Vithayathil were the attendees at the solemn function.