Syro-Malankara Catholic Church creates new eparchies

January 25, 2010 (Malankara Catholic) - His Beatitude Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis Catholicos, the Major Archbishop with the consent of the Holy Episcopal Synod of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church and having consulted the Apostolic See of Rome, has created two new Eparchies in the Church. They are Pathanamthitta in Kerala and Puthur in the State of Karnataka. Having been elected by the Holy Episcopal Synod, four new Bishops also have been appointed by him for the Church with the approval of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI. He has announced the transfer of Most Rev. Yoohanon Mar Chrysostom, the present Bishop of Marthandom to the new See of Pathanamthitta and Most Rev. Geevarghese Mar Divannasios from the See of Bathery to the new See of Puthur. Most Rev. Joseph Mar Thomas, the Apostolic Visitator to North America and Europe is appointed Bishop of Bathery. To the See of Marthandom, falling vacant due the transfer of its present Bishop is appointed Very Rev. Fr. Vincent Kulapuravilai, the Professor and Registrar of St. Mary’s Malankara Seminary Trivandrum. Very Rev. Dr. Samuel Kattukallil, the Syncellus of the Major Archieparchy of Trivandrum and Very Rev. Dr. Stephen Thottathil, Dean of the Faculty of Theology of St. Mary’s Malankara Seminary are appointed Auxiliary Bishops of the Major Archieparchy of Trivandrum and the Archieparchy of Tiruvalla respectively. Very Rev. Dr. Antony Valiyavilayil OIC, the Postulator of the Cause of Canonisation of Servant of God Archbishop Mar Ivanios and the Chancellor of the Major Archiepiscopal Curia is appointed the Bishop of the Curia.

The announcement was simultaneously made in Rome at 12 noon local time and in Trivandrum, the headquarters of the Syro-Malankara Church and at other Eparchial centres at 4.30 p.m. IST. In Trivandrum His Beatitude Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis Catholicos made the announcement at St. Mary’s Cathedral in the presence of Bishops and a large number of Priests, Religious and Faithful of the Church. The Bishops of the Church invested the Bishops Designates with Episcopal insignia and congratulated them.