Malankara Church Jubilant At Elevation, Appointment Of Major Archbishop

Members of the Syro-Malankara Church are euphoric after the Vatican elevated the India-based Oriental rite to a major archiepiscopal Church. On 10 February 2005, the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church was raised to the status of a major archiepiscopal Church by the papal document Ab ipso Sancto Thoma, and as such possesses a high level of autonomy under the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches.

Apostolic Nuncio to India Archbishop Pedro Lopez Quintana announced the elevation at St. Mary’s Cathedral of Trivandrum Syro-Malankara archdiocese. Pedro López Quintana, the Apostolic Nuncio in India, read the official declaration at St. Mary’s Cathedral, Pattom, Thiruvananthapuram. The nuncio also announced the elevation of Archbishop Cyril Mar Baselios of Trivandrum as the Malankara Church´s first major archbishop. The Hierarchical Head of the Church became a Major Archbishop who exercises patriarchal powers and governs the Church assisted by the Holy Synod of Bishops of the Church.

According to Father John Kochuthundiyil, chancellor of the archdiocese, the elevation is a “joy for all our members.”

It is, for Pushpa Augustine, “the highest honor” the Vatican has conferred on “our Church.” The laywoman, secretary of the archdiocesan pastoral council, told that, with the new status, the Church has attained “full autonomy in all matters of internal governance.”

Pastoral council member Mary Mathew said the new status would help the Church keep “our identity” and encourage Malankara Catholics´ “more active” participation in evangelization.

Speaking on the occasion Archbishop Baselios said he is “very happy” over the “historic moment for the Malankara Church.” He pointed out that the announcement came as the Church is celebrating the 75th anniversary of its union with the Catholic Church.

Major archbishops of the rite would henceforth be titled “Catholicos of Malankara,” following its tradition in Kerala, Church people said.

The 69-year-old major archbishop is a former president of the Catholic Bishop´s Conference of India. He was ordained bishop in 1978 for Bathery diocese in northern Kerala. In 1995 he was transferred to Trivandrum as its metropolitan archbishop and head of the Church that traces its faith to Saint Thomas the Apostle.

The majority of the Malankara Church´s 325,000 members are spread across Kerala. Besides Trivandrum archdiocese, the Church has three dioceses in Kerala and one in Tamil Nadu.

Among the Eastern Catholic Churches, only the Ukrainian, Syro-Malabar and, now, Syro-Malankara Church have been raised to major archiepiscopal status since the new Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches took effect in 1991.

The Malankara Church follows the liturgical tradition of the Antiochean Church, with which it had centuries-old links.

Church officials said the major archbishop would soon convene the Malankara bishops´ synod to discuss administrative and hierarchical amendments needed for the Church´s new status.

Kerala Chief Minister Oomman Chandy was among those who congratulated the new major archbishop. Syro-Malabar Major Archbishop Cardinal Varkey Vithayathil and Latin-rite Archbishop Soosa Pakiam of Trivandrum Latin-rite archdiocese also congratulated Archbishop Baselios.

Both Oriental rites in India follow Syrian Church traditions, while the Latin rite follows the Roman liturgy, introduced by European missioners in the 15th century.

Among the 149 Catholic jurisdictions in India, 119 belong to the Latin rite, 25 to the Syro-Malabar and five to the Syro-Malankara.

Five other mainstream Churches in Kerala that are not in the Catholic fold also trace the origins of their faith to Saint Thomas the Apostle.