Reception to Leonardo Cardinal Sandri

His Eminence Leonardo Cardinal Sandri, Prefect, the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, Rome.

Malankara Catholic Church gave a warm reception to Leonardo Cardinal Sandri, the Prefect of the Congregation for Oriental Churches, on 10 November 2008, 9.00am at St. Mary’s Cathedral, Pattom. The reception was arranged in the traditional manner. Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis, Major Archbishop-Catholicos was the chief celebrant of the Holy Qurbono. Leonardo Cardinal Sandi delivered the homily. After the Holy Mass, His Eminence visited the tomb of Servant of God Archbishop Mar Ivanios.

The following public meeting was presided over by Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis Catholicos. The Metropolitan Archbishop Most Rev. Thomas Mar Koorilos, Most Rev. Joshua Mar Ignathios, Msgr. Eldo Puthenkandathil and the lay representative Shri. John Mathai IAS  made the felicitation speeches. The representatives from the religious congregations of various eparchies gave memento to the Cardinal. All the metropolitans of our Church, Priests, Religious, Nuns, Brothers and numerous Faithful participated in the blessed function.

The Blessing of the Renovated Tomb Chapel

The dedication and the blessing of the renovated and expanded tomb chapel where the mortal remains of the Servant of God Archbishop Mar Ivanios, Archbishop Mar Gregorios and the first Major Archbishop Cyril Baselios Catholicos rest was blessed at the hands of Major Archbishop Baselios Cleemis Catholicos at 5 p.m. on Tuesday 30 September 2008. A large number of Priests, Religious and the Faithful from the city of Trivandrum participated in the blessing and prayed at the tomb.  The altar of the chapel was blessed and dedicated on 1 September 2008 in preparation for the 55th Feast of Commemoration of the Servant of God Archbishop Mar Ivanios.

The Inauguration of the Re-union Day Celebrations

The reunion celebrations had magnificent and colourful beginning. The three days programme was begun by the proclamation rally that started from Ranni Block Padi to Mar Athanasios Nagar at St. Mary’s Senior Secondary School, Ranni. The portrait of Mar Ivanios from the Major Archdiocese of Trivandrum, Catholicate flag from the Diocese of Bathery, Papal Flag from the Diocese of Marthandom, portrait of Mar Theophilos from the Diocese of Muvattupuzha, MCYM flag from the Diocese of Mavelikara and the MCYM Logo from the Extra-Territorial Regions were brought under the leadership of MCYM with great pomp and show. The procession was leaded by priests and the office bearers of MCYM. Archbishop Thomas Koorilos inaugurated the rally. The lighted lamp was followed by the Papal flag, Catholicate flag and the portrait of the bishops. Hundreds of vehicles accompanied. At the end of the rally the lighted lamp was handed over to Rev. Fr. Abraham Naduviledam (Proto-presbyter) and it was placed at the main venue of the reunion day celebrations. The portraits were handed over to Rev. Msgr. Antony Kackanattu. Most Rev. Joshua Mar Iganthios, Most Rev. Thomas Mar Koorilos, Rev. Fr. Job Kalluvilayil and Rev. Fr. Mathai Kadavil hoisted the Papal flag, Catholicate flag, MCYM flag and the MCA flag respectively.

Mar Ivanios Day

The 55th Feast of Commemoration of the Servant of God Archbishop Mar Ivanios ended with the Holy Qurbono, the commemoration meeting and the Prayer of Incense at the tomb chapel. The pilgrims were received at the entrance of the Cathedral church at 8.30am . Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis Catholicos, Major Archbishop of the Syro Malankara Catholic Church was the main celebrant of the Holy Qurbono; the Metropolitans and Rev. Priests were the concelebrants. A large number of Priests, Sisters and faithful were present there for all the programs.

Padayatra to the tomb of the Servant of God, Archbishop Mar Ivanios on his 55th Feast of Commemoration

The annual padayatra to the tomb of the Servant of God, Archbishop Mar Ivanios Started from Perunad today (10th, July, 2008). Most Rev. Thomas Mar Koorilos, the Metropolitan Archbishop of Tiruvalla celebrated the Holy Qurbono and blessed the Padayatris. The Malankara Catholic Youth Movement of the Major Archieparchy of Trivandrum is giving leadership to the Padayatra. The piligrims will reach the tomb of the servant of God in St. Mary’s Cathedral Pattom, Trivandrum at 8.30 am on 15th July, 2008.

The work of the proposed Catholicate Centre begins

The work of the proposed Catholicate centre which is to house the Major Archiepiscopal Curia of the Syro Malankara Catholic Church started today (monday the 7th, 2008) after the prayer at the tomb of the servant of God, Mar Ivanios and at the site. His Beatitude Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis Catholicos imparted his blessings for the construction.

The 55th Feast of Commemoration of the Servant of God Mar Ivanios begins

His Beatitude Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis Catholicos blessed the newly built altar of the tomb chapel of the Servant of God Mar Ivanios in St. Mary’s Cathedral Pattom, Trivandrum at 5 pm on 1 July 2008.  His Excellency Most Rev. Jacob Mar Barnabas, Apostsolic Visitator of the Malankarites in the Extraterritorial Regions in India, Rt. Rev. Msgr. James Paravilayil, the Protosyncellus of the Major Archieparchy of Trivandrum, Rt. Rev. Varghese Mavelil Corepiscopo, Rev. Fr. Geevarghese Nediyath, the Parish Priest of St. Mary’s Cathedral, Rev. Fr. Antony Valiyavilayil OIC, the Postulator of the Cause of Canonisation of the Servant of God Archbishop Mar Ivanios and a large number of Priests, Religious, Seminarians and Faithful participated in the blessing ceremony.

Mar Ivanios declared “Servant of God”

The first of the four steps towards canonisation of Late Archbishop Geevarghese Mar Ivanios, the first Metropolitan and Archbishop of the Malankara Catholic Church and founder of the Order of Bethany Sisters, was made on Saturday with his being named ‘Servant of God’.

Catholicos Baselios Mar Cleemis made the declaration at St. Mary’s Cathedral, Pattom, here at a Holy Mass held in the morning to mark the 54th Remembrance Day of the late Archbishop. Hundreds of people, including scores of priests and nuns, were present at the cathedral to witness the historic moment in the history of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church.

Thiruvalla Archbishop Thomas Mar Koorilos, Bishops Geevarghese Mar Divanyasios, Yuhanon Mar Chrysostom, Joshua Mar Ignathios and Apostolic Visitator of missions outside Kerala Jacob Mar Barnabas were present at the mass and concelebration to mark the occasion. The Catholicos also received the rallies of the devout that reached the cathedral from the dioceses of Ranni, Perumattil, Thiruvalla, Marthandam and Mavelikkara earlier in the morning as part of the celebration.

Steps to Sainthood.

After attaining the status of the “Servant of God”, there are three more steps to finally attain Sainthood.

1) A postulator (a church official who coordinates the process and serves as an advocate) must demonstrate the Mar Ivanios lived by heroic Christian virtues. Documents and testimony are collected and presented to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints in Rome. If approved by that panel and the pope, the Late Archbishop Mar Ivanios will earn the title ”Venerable.”

2) Faithful can now pray to Late Archbishop Mar Ivanios, asking for help in delivering messages to God. Answered prayers can be attributed to Mar Ivanios’ advocacy, or intercession. If the postulator  can prove that Mar Ivanios’s intercession helped a living person receive a miracle from God, the Pope can declare the late Archbishop, ”Blessed.”

3) After a second miracle is attributed to Mar Ivanios’ intercession, the Pope can declare him to be a saint, with the final step called “Canonization”.

Late Archbishop Mar Ivanios will be declared “Servant of God” (Daivadasan)

The Father of the Re-union movement and the First Archbishop of the Malankara Catholic Church, Late Archbishop Mar Ivanios will be declared “Servant of God” (Daivadasan). This comes as a first step to declaring the Late Archbishop a Saint.

The declaration will be made on the 14th of July, 2007 by His Excellency Major Archbishop Baselios Mar Cleemis at the Pattom Cathedral, Trivandrum. Mar Ivanios’ 54th Death Anniversary is on July 15.

Steps to Sainthood.

After attaining the status of the “Servant of God”, there are three more steps to finally attain Sainthood.

1) A postulator (a church official who coordinates the process and serves as an advocate) must demonstrate the Mar Ivanios lived by heroic Christian virtues. Documents and testimony are collected and presented to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints in Rome. If approved by that panel and the pope, the Late Archbishop Mar Ivanios will earn the title ”Venerable.”

2) Faithful can now pray to Late Archbishop Mar Ivanios, asking for help in delivering messages to God. Answered prayers can be attributed to Mar Ivanios’ advocacy, or intercession. If the postulator  (a church official who coordinates the process and serves as an advocate) can prove that Mar Ivanios’s intercession helped a living person receive a miracle from God, the Pope can declare the late Archbishop, ”Blessed.”

3) After a second miracle is attributed to Mar Ivanios’ intercession, the Pope can declare him to be a saint, with the final step called “Canonization”.

Due to the declaration of Mar Ivanios as the “Servant of God”, special prayers and masses will be conducted everyday, till the 14th of July at St. Mary’s Cahtedral, Pattom where he was laid to rest.