Cardinal-Designate Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis Catholicos was given grand reception

His Beatitude Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis Catholicos, Cardinal designated by the Holy Father on 24 October 2012, was accorded a grand reception on his return from Rome on 31 October 2012. He was in Vatican attending the thirteenth ordinary Synod. He reached the Trivandrum International airport at 9.30 a.m. and was given a grand reception by the Bishops of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church , Mar Mathew Arackal,( Bishop of Kanjirapally), Most Rev. Soosa Pakaiam (Archbishop of Trivandrum, Latin Catholic Church), Bishop Dharmaraj Rasalam, (CSI Bishop), Swami Njana Thapaswi, (Santhigiri Ashram), Prof. P.J. Kurian, (Deputy Speaker of Rajya Sabha), G. Karthikeyan, (Speaker, Kerala Legislative Assembly), Anto Antony (M.P), V.S. Sivakumar (Minister of Health and Family Welfare), P.C. George (Chief Whip), Johnson Abraham (KPCC Secretary), Raju Abraham (M.L.A), K.S. Balasubramanyam (D.G.P), Ramachandran Kadannappally, Joseph M. Puthussery, Jacob Punnoos (Former DGP) and other Political and Social leaders, Priests, Religious, and Faithful. His Beatitude was convoyed to the St. Mary’s Cathedral, Pattom. His Grace Most Rev. Thomas Mar Koorilos, Secretary of the Holy Episcopal Synod and the Metropolitan-Archbishop of Tiruvalla garlanded the Cardinal-Designate at the Cathedral Gate. He was given a liturgical reception at the entrance of the cathedral church by its Vicar, Very Rev. Fr. Geevarghese Nediyath. His Beatitude with the other Bishops present entered the sanctuary and recited the prayers.

Soon after the prayers, a felicitation meeting was conducted. His Beatitude was felicitated by His Grace Most Rev. Soosa Pakaiam, Archbishop of Trivandrum (Latin Church) and Honorable Chief Minister Sri. Oommen Chandy. Sasi Tharoor, (Union Minister), State ministers such as K.M. Mani, K.C. Joseph, Adoor Prakash, and P.J. Joseph, Pinarai Vijayan, V.S. Achuthanandan, Jamaludhin Mankada (Palayam Imam). Protosyncelli and Office-Bearers of various Syro-Malankara Catholic Eparchies, Superiors General and Provincial Superiors of Religious Congregations, dignitaries from various fields presented bouquets and conveyed their felicitations. His Beatitude in his reply thanked all who felicitated him. He said that he would use his new designation for continuous discourse with the Universal Church and for the prosperity of our great motherland and its culture. He considered it as a good fortune to be in this land where Hindus, Christians and Muslims live together harmoniously. He urged to sustain the greatness and sanctity of our land. He said that he follows the footsteps and cherishes the great patrimony of his illustrious predecessors Servant of God Archbishop Mar Ivanios, Mar Gregorios and Cyril Mar Baselios Catholicos and beseeches their intercession to fulfill his responsibility as the protector of an epoch in the world and the Church.

It was followed by Dhoopaprarthana at the Tomb of his predecessors Servant of God Archbishop Mar Ivanios, Mar Gregorios and Mar Baselios. At the end of the prayer His Beatitude imparted the apostolic blessings to the faithful.