NEW METROPOLITAN FOR THE SPIRITUAL ORGANISATIONS OF THE MALANKARA SYRIAN CHURCH
Puthencuriz, Kerala, India, February 1, 2009:
His Beatitude the Catholicos Aboon Mor Baselios Thomas-I today consecrated Very Rev. Geevarghese Thengumtharayil as Metropolitan by name Mor BARNABAS Geevarghese for the spiritual organizations of the Malankara Jacobite Syrian Christian Church. The divine ceremony was held at the St. Athanasius Cathedral in the Malankara Syrian Church headquarters, Puthencuriz. Faithful from far and near attended ceremonies led by His Beatitude.
The day started at the St. Athanasius Cathedral with the morning worship commencing at 7.30 am. The Catholicos of the East and Metropolitan Trustee, Aboon Mor Baselios Thomas-I, was the chief celebrant at the consecration ceremony which began with a holy Qurbono at 8.30 a.m. Twenty One metropolitans were present on the occasion assisting His Beatitude the Catholicos during the consecration ceremony.
Earlier the four-hour-long ordination process got under way with the ceremonial procession carrying the bishops designate to the Madbho. This was followed by the reading of the Patriarchal Bull, declaring the elevation of bishop-designate, for the spiritual organisations.
The ‘Ramban’, Rev. Geevarghese Thengumtharayil, passed through the consecration process which came to a formal conclusion with the priests chanting ‘oxios,’ holding the bishops high in their chairs by around 12 pm. Following the age-old traditions of the Syrian Church, the new metropolitan was named Mor Barnabas Geevarghese by the chief celebrant Catholicos Aboon Mor Baselios Thomas-I. The religious ceremonies were followed by a public reception.
