Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Thrissur (Agenzia Fides) - The Auxiliary Bishop of Thrissur Archdiocese, Mar Andrews Thazhath, and the Auxiliary Bishop of Changanassery Archdiocese Mar Joseph Perumthottam were elevated as the archbishops of their respective Eparchies on January 22, in a recent meeting of the Synod of Bishops of the Syro-Malabar Catholic rite following the resignation of the incumbent archbishops Mar Jacob Thoomkuzhy and Mar Joseph Powathil who had reached the age of retirement.
The new archbishops will be installed in the presence of Cardinal Vithayathil respectively Mar Andrews Thazhath on 18 March and Mar Joseph Perumthottam on the 19 March.
The Syro-Malabar rite, along with the Syro-Malankar Rite and the Latin Rite one is one of the three rites of contemporary India. The Syro-Malabar Church is deeply rooted in Indian culture as it clearly appears in the marriage customs, the anointing of the sick, rites connected with birth and death, the structure of the clergy and the building of Churches. Even feasts and fasting of the Catholic faithful, still called “Thomas Christians”, follow local rules. Recently, the Synod of the Syro-Malabar Church introduced a few changes: the colour of the bishop’s chasuble (worn during Mass) changed from white to beige and the shape and colour of the mitre (Bishop’s head-gear) to be more in keeping with the local culture. The Synod also decided that the cross of Syro-Malabar bishops would be changed and would bear the image of St. Thomas the Apostle, the First Missionary of the East, from whom that Church has its origin. Furthermore, the typical eastern tradition titles of “archdeacon” and “archimandrite” were re-established for clergymen.
The Syro-Malabar Church in India is structured as follows: Major See of Ernakulam-Angamaly; Metropolitan of Changanacherry, to which belong the Eparchies of Kanjirapally Kottayam, Palai, Thuckalay; the Metropolitan of Ernakulam-Angamaly, to which belongs the Eparchy of Kothamangalam; the Metropolitan of Tellicherry, with the Eparchies of Belthangady, Mananthavady, Thamarasserry; the Metropolitan of Trichur, with the Eparchies of Irinjalakida, Palghat. The Eparchies of Adilabad, Bijnor, Chanda, Gorakhpur, Jagdalpur, Kalyan, Rajikot, Sagar, Satna, Ujjain, which belong to other Latin Rite Metropolitans. Also in the United States of America, in Chicago, there is the Eparchy of St. Thomas the Apostle. The Syro-Malabar Church has always distinguished itself, according to Christians and non Christians, in its effort for the benefit and human and spiritual growth of Indian population: an achievement of this Church is the highly appreciated promotion of literacy among people with the pallikkoodams organization, excellent schools situated near churches. Thanks to the tireless efforts of the Church for the human progress of the people, Kerala has highest percentage of adult literacy in the Indian Federation States. Highly qualified persons together with a great number of consecrated people, men and women, have gone far beyond the borders of Kerala. For this reason, over the years, the Holy See has created Syro-Malabar Eparchies (comparable to dioceses) outside of Kerala.. (PA) (Agenzia Fides 1/2/2007 righe 29 parole 298)
