Malankara Voice

19,20,21-January-2007

The Hindu  dt. 19th Jan 2007

First Major Archbishop and Catholicos of the Malankara Catholic Church Cyril Mar Baselius passes away

Staff Reporter

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The first Major Archbishop and Catholicos of the Malankara Catholic Church Cyril Mar Baselius passed away on Thursday. He was 73.

The Major Archbishop was diabetic and had been undergoing dialysis for the last six months. He was admitted to a private hospital here on Thursday morning following complaints of uneasiness.

He breathed his last there at 6.45 p.m. His death was unexpected as the Major Archbishop was the chief celebrant at an installation ceremony at St. Mary's Cathedral, Pattom, on Wednesday.

The body has been kept at the St. Mary's Cathedral, Pattom, for the public to pay homage. The funeral will take place on Saturday at 10 a.m. at the Cathedral.

All educational institutions under the Malankara Catholic diocese will remain closed on Friday and Saturday. It was during his tenure as Archbishop in February 2005 that the Malankara Catholic Church was elevated to Major Archiepiscopal status. Cyril Mar Baselius was a member in the congregation for oriental churches in Rome.

A former president of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of India, Cyril Mar Baselius was ordained priest in 1960 after his studies in the Pune pontifical seminary. He received doctorate in canon law from the Oriental Institute, Rome, in 1975 after taking master's degree in psychology from St. John's University, U.S.

Union Minister for Defence A.K. Antony expressed his condolence at the death of the Major Archbishop. In a statement, the Minister described the services rendered by the Bishop for social unity and the Indianisation of Christian church as unforgettable. Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan, in a release, recalled the yeoman service the Major Archbishop had rendered in the educational, social and spiritual sectors. Minister For Education and Culture M.A. Baby said the Major Archbishop had always maintained a progressive and secular outlook. Minister for Forest Benoy Viswom said the Major Archbishop upheld values of culture. Leader of the Opposition Oommen Chandy lauded the role played by the Major Archbishop in the Indianisation of the Catholic Church.

Nationalist Congress Party leader K. Karunakaran said the Major Archbishop had always succeeded in winning the hearts of the people. KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala said the services rendered by the Major Archbishop would always be remembered.

http://www.hindu.com/2007/01/19/stories/2007011921450400.htm

 Major Archbishop's death condoled

KOCHI: The Catholicos of the Jacobite Syrian Christian Church Baselius Thomas I condoled the death of Major Archbishop and Catholicos of the Malankara Catholic Church Cyril Mar Baselius on Thursday. He remembered the services rendered to various sectors by the departed religious leader. - Staff Reporter

http://www.hindu.com/2007/01/19/stories/2007011922640300.htm

The Hindu  dt. 20th Jan 2007

Mar Dionysius takes over as Church administrator

Staff Reporter

LAST RESPECTS: Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan paying homage to Major Archbishop Cyril Mar Baselius in Thiruvananthapuram on Friday. Near him is Law Minister M. Vijayakumar. - Photo: C. Ratheesh kumar

Thiruvananthapuram: Bishop of Bathery diocese Geevarghese Mar Dionysius has taken over as administrator of the Malankara Catholic Church following the passing away of Major Archbishop and Catholicos Cyril Mar Baselius here on Thursday.

At a press conference here on Friday, synod secretary and Bishop Thomas Mar Coorilose said as per Section 127 of the canon law, Mar Dionysius, senior Metropolitan of the synod, had taken over as administrator.

Mar Coorilose said the synod would meet after the 21-day mourning period to decide on the next Major Archbishop and successor to Cyril Mar Baselius.

"The synod will take a decision at the meeting that will last up to five days and later, the decision will be communicated to the Pope," he said.

Replying to queries, he said everything depended on the synod, as it was to take a decision on the new Major Archbishop. Generally, the Pope agreed to the decision taken by the Synod.

Mar Dionysius, who was present, said the person to be selected by the synod would have all the powers and title enjoyed by Cyril Mar Baselius.

State honours

"The next head of the Malankara Catholic Church can be one of the six Bishops in the synod or any other priest," he said. The synod secretary said the mortal remains of Mar Baselius would be laid to rest with full State honours at St. Mary's Cathedral, Pattom, on Saturday.

The funeral rites would commence at 10 a.m. with the procession from St. Mary's Pro-Cathedral, Palayam.

The procession would move along Flyover, PMG junction and Lourdes Church and reach the cathedral in two-and-a-half hours, according to Chancellor Antony Valiyavilayil.

The mortal remains of Mar Baselius would be laid to rest near the resting place of Mar Ivanios ad Mar Gregorios.

Cardinal Moussa Ignace Daoud, Perfect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches; Representative of the Pope in India Archbishop Pedro Lopez Quintana; and Bishops from Kerala and other States are expected to attend.

The Church has made elaborate parking arrangements for those coming in vehicles to attend the funeral rites. Only vehicles having special pass will be allowed inside the premises of St. Mary's Cathedral.

Prayer day

Prayer day will be observed in all churches on January 21. All educational institutions under Malankara Catholic Church will remain closed on Saturday, according to the synod secretary.

Governor R.L. Bhatia has hailed the contributions of Major Archbishop Cyril Mar Baselius to the social and educational sectors of the State.

In a condolence message here on Friday, he said the Archbishop's role in the Indianisation of the Catholic Church would long be remembered.

Communist party of India State secretary Veliyam Bhargavan said the Archbishop was in the forefront of efforts to maintain and strengthen communal amity.

Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee vice-president Thalekunnil Basheer said the Archbishop's contributions were not confined to the sections he represented but society at large.

Janata Dal(S) State president A. Neelalohithadasan Nadar described him as a symbol of communal amity.

Nationalist Communist Party (NCP) leader Thomas Chandy, MLA, also mourned the Archbishop's demise.

http://www.hindu.com/2007/01/20/stories/2007012011500400.htm

The Hindu  dt. 21st Jan 2007

Adieu to Major Archbishop Cyril Mar Baselios

Staff Reporter

FAREWELL: A view of the funeral procession of Cyril Mar Baselios, the first Major Archbishop and Catholicos of the Malankara Catholic Church, in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday. - Photo: S. Gopakumar

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Hymns, prayers and reading from scriptures marked the farewell service of Cyril Mar Baselios, the first Major Archbishop and Catholicos of the Malanakra Catholic Church who was interred here at the St. Mary's Cathedral, Pattom, with State honours.

Draped in solemn vestment and seated on a throne with the symbolic staff in hand, the body was interred alongside his predecessors Mar Ivanios and Mar Gregorios, in a specially prepared vault filled with frankincense at the basement of the Cathedral.

The cathedral bells chimed and hymns in Syriac exhorting to `go in peace' sung by the mourners rented the air as priests acting as pallbearers escorted the throne down the aisle. The throne was then raised at the four doors of the Cathedral, representing East, West, North and South, by the priests as sign of bidding adieu to the city and its people. The `funeral squad,' comprising the State police armed battalion, reversed arms as a mark of respect.

The funeral service which started at 12.15 p.m. was lead by Geevarghese Mar Dionysius, the Bishop of Bathery and the administrator of the Malankara Catholic Church. The funeral rites were preceded by a public procession from St.Mary's Pro-Cathedral, Palayam.

The procession moved along the flyover, PMG Junction and Lourdes Church and reached the cathedral in two hours. Around 30,000 people including Cardinal Moussa Ignace Daoud, Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches; Pedro Lopez Quintana, representative of the Pope in India, 25 Bishops, 1,500 priests and 3,000 nuns attended the service.

The church had made elaborate parking arrangements for those coming in vehicles to attend the rites. Only vehicles with a `special pass' were allowed on the premises of the cathedral.

http://www.hindu.com/2007/01/21/stories/2007012104660400.htm