Jacobite Syrian Christian Association - October 24, 2008

Kochi, October 24, 2008: At the forthcoming 'Jacobite Syrian Christian Association' meet at Kothamangalam on 25th of this month, His Holiness Ignatius Zakka I Iwas, the prince Patriarch & the Supreme head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church of Antioch & all the East, who is also the Chief Patron of the Association, will preside. The arrangements for the Malankara Association has already been started.

The Program committee is presently in the process of chalking out the schedules and other details of the 4th Apostolic Visit of the Holy father. As per the latest information, His Holiness will arrive at Kochi International Airport (Nedumbasserry) at 9.20 AM on October 17th and will be received to the Church headquarters at Puthencuriz near Kochi, by His Beatitude the Catholicos, the regional head of the Syriac Church of India, the Metropolitans and other office bearers of the Church.

On October 19th at 4 pm, His Holiness will inaugurate the grand public function to be held at the Marine Drive grounds in Kochi, marking the end of the year-long Sacerdotal Golden Jubilee celebrations of His Beatitude Catholicos Baselios Thomas I. Eminent personalities from different walks of life are expected to participate in that function.

On October 22, a special meeting of the Managing Committee and Working Committee will be convened at the Patriarchal centre, the Church headquarters in Puthencuriz, under the president ship of His Holiness.

On October 23, His Holiness will offer prayers at the tomb of his predecessor, Saint Ignatius Elias III at the Mor Ignatius Dayro, Manjinikkara. Later the Holy father will visit the St. Mary's Cathedral in Pathanamthitta, which is the main church of the Thumpamon diocese. From here His Holiness will proceed to Kavumbagam near Thiruvalla to consecrate a new Syrian Orthodox Church there.

October 24th 2008 will be an important day for the Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Christians when the Patriarch is expected to formally announce the beatification of Mor Koorilose Paulose Kochuparambil, the former Malankara Metropolitan and head of the Malankara Syrian Church. The declaration will be held at the Panampady St. Mary's Church near Kottayam, where the late Metropolitan is entombed. Another major program of His Holiness for the day is the consecration of the newly built Church of the Syrian Orthodox Christians at Puthuppally. His Holiness will also visit the 200 year-old Attamangalam Church at Kumarakom on the same day. The evening will be spend at the famous Marian Pilgrim Centre, the St. Mary's Cathedral, Manarcaud. This will be the third visit of His Holiness to this parish which has been declared a Cathedral by the holy father in 2004. Way back in 1982, it was in this 1000 year-old church that the Patriarch Mor Ignatius Zakka I consecrated the Holy Moroon, which was His Holiness' first Moroon consecration in India and the third Moroon consecration ceremony ever held by any Church head in the Indian soil.

The very next day on October 25, the Holy father will visit the 'Mor Athanasius College' at Kothamangalam which is one of the oldest higher education centers of the Church and also the St. Gregorios Dental College at Chelad near Kothamangalam.

On October 26, His Holiness will participate in the combined meeting of all the spiritual organizations of the Church at the Church headquarters in Puthencuriz and will also visit the sacred tomb of late lamented Catholicos of the East, Aboon Mor Baselios Paulos II at Malecuriz Dayro.

During this Apostolic visit, His Holiness will also conduct the Moroon consecration of the St. Athanasius Cathedral at Puthencuriz. On October 27th, the holy father will return.

Program details from Mangalam daily:
http://mangalam.com/index.php?page=detail&nid=80861 <http://mangalam.com/index.php?page=detail&amp;nid=80861>