Happenings
His Excellency Most Rev. Lawrence Mar Ephraem was appointed Auxiliary to the Metropolitan Archbishop of Trivandrum and Titular Bishop of Barkuso on 6 November 1980 and was ordained Bishop by His Benedict Mar Gregorios on 27 December 1980 at Kottayam during the Golden Jubilee celebration of the Reunion Movement.
The Syro- Malankara Catholic Church was fortunate to welcome His Holiness Pope John Paul II of happy memory on 8 February 1986 at St. Mary’s Cathedral, Pattom, Trivandrum. His Holiness was accorded a cordial reception by the entire Church, the Hierachy and the represantatives of the Clergy, the Religious and the Laity. The Supreme Pontiff was garlanded at the entrance of the Cathedral by His Grace Benedict Mar Gregorios, the Metropolitan Archbishop and was received in to the Cathedral with the liturgical reception by the Bishops of the Syro- Malankara Catholic Church. His Holiness prayed at the sanctuary. After the welcome speech of His Grace Benedict Mar Gregorios, the Holy Father gave His speech. In His Speech the Holy Father praised the unity endeavors of Mar Ivanios “ In coming to this cathedral, I pay honour to the memory of Archbishop Mar Ivanios who is buried here. Among the many apostolic endeavors of his zealous pastor of souls, none was more dear to him than the promotion of unity among christians.” After the visit to St. Mary’s Cathedral, His Holiness addressed the whole Catholic community from Trivandrum and the neighbouring districts at Shankumukham beach. In His memorable speech at Shankumukham the Holy Father praised the heroic leadership of Mar Ivanios of happy memory and the ecclesial significance of the Syro-Malankara Reunion Movement (L’Osservatore Romano, Feb.17, 1986).
His Eminence Cardinal Lourdusamy, the Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, visited the Metropolitan Eparchy of Trivandrum on 19 August 1987.
After an eventful leadership of 41 years His Grace the Metropolitan Archbishop Benedict Mar Gregorios was called to eternal rest on 10 October 1994 and was buried at St. Mary’s Cathedral. His Excellency Most Rev. Lawrence Mar Ephraem, the Proto-Syncellus, was elected the Administrator of the Metropolitan Eparchy of Trivandrum. As per the appointment of Holy See, on 14 December 1995 His Excellency Most Rev. Cyril Mar Baselios, the Bishop of Bathery, was enthroned the Metropolitan Archbishop of Trivandrum and the Head of the Church at the St. Mary’s Cathedral, Trivandrum. His Grace received Sacred Pallium from the Holy Father Pope John Paul II on 9 January 1996 in Vatican.
His Eminence Achille Cardinal Silvestrini, Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, visited the Metropolitan Eparchy of Trivandrum, on 12, & 13 of February 1996.
His Eminence Josef Cardinal Tomko, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples was received in the Archbishop’s House on 2 November 1996.
Upon the request of His Grace Cyril Mar Baselios, bifurcating the Metropolitan Eparchy of Trivandrum, His Holiness Pope John Paul II erected the Eparchy of Marthandom on 16 December 1996 and Most Rev. Lawrence Mar Ephrem was appointed as its first Bishop. His Grace Cyril Mar Baselios officiated the Installation of His Excellency Mar Ephraem at Christuraja Cathedral, Marthandom on 23 January 1997. The territorial boundary of the Eparchy of Marthandom extends to Kanyakumari in the south, Kalikavilai in the west, Kavalkinar in the north and Kumarapuram in the east.
The new extension of the Archbishop’s House ‘Thirusannidhi’ was blessed by Metropolitan Archbishop Most Rev. Cyril Mar Baselios on 11 and 12 March 1998.
On 16 April 1998, the Holy See appointed Most Rev. Joshua Mar Ignathios as the Auxiliary Bishop for the Archieparchy of Trivandrum. He was ordained Bishop on 29 June 1998 at Mar Ivanios Nagar, Nalanchira, by Metropolitan Archbishop His Grace Cyril Mar Baselios.
His Excellency Most Rev. Paulos Mar Philoxenos, Episcopal Vicar of the Metropolitan Eparchy of Trivandrum passed away on 3 November 1998, and was buried in St. John’s Cathedral, Tiruvalla. .
On 18 June 2001 Most Rev. Isaac Mar Cleemis was appointed by the Holy See as the Apostolic Visitor of North America and Europe and the Auxiliary Bishop of Trivandrum and as the titular Bishop of Chayal. His Episcopal Ordination took place on 15 August 2001 at St. Mary’s Malankara Catholic Church, Thirumoolapuram, Tiruvalla. His Grace Cyril Mar Baselios, the Metropolitan Archbishop was the principal consecrator.
The Holy See on 11 September 2003 appointed Bishop Isaac Mar Cleemis, as the Bishop of Tiruvalla when Bishop Geevarghese Mar Timotheos gave resignation due to super-annuation (on 29 March 2003). Most Rev. Isaac Mar Cleemis was installed Bishop of Tiruvalla on 2 October 2003.
Most Rev. Joseph Mar Thomas was appointed by Holy Father Pope John Paul II as Apostolic Visitor to North America and Europe and Auxiliary Bishop of Trivandrum and as the Titular Bishop of Silcilibbensis on 5 January 2005. He was ordained Bishop on 19 February 2005 at St. Mary’s Cathedral, Trivandrum, by His Grace Cyril Mar Baselios, the Metropolitan Archbishop.
His Excellency Most Rev. Lawrence Mar Ephraem was appointed Auxiliary to the Metropolitan Archbishop of Trivandrum and Titular Bishop of Barkuso on 6 November 1980 and was ordained Bishop by His Benedict Mar Gregorios on 27 December 1980 at Kottayam during the Golden Jubilee celebration of the Reunion Movement.
The Syro- Malankara Catholic Church was fortunate to welcome His Holiness Pope John Paul II of happy memory on 8 February 1986 at St. Mary’s Cathedral, Pattom, Trivandrum. His Holiness was accorded a cordial reception by the entire Church, the Hierachy and the represantatives of the Clergy, the Religious and the Laity. The Supreme Pontiff was garlanded at the entrance of the Cathedral by His Grace Benedict Mar Gregorios, the Metropolitan Archbishop and was received in to the Cathedral with the liturgical reception by the Bishops of the Syro- Malankara Catholic Church. His Holiness prayed at the sanctuary. After the welcome speech of His Grace Benedict Mar Gregorios, the Holy Father gave His speech. In His Speech the Holy Father praised the unity endeavors of Mar Ivanios “ In coming to this cathedral, I pay honour to the memory of Archbishop Mar Ivanios who is buried here. Among the many apostolic endeavors of his zealous pastor of souls, none was more dear to him than the promotion of unity among christians.” After the visit to St. Mary’s Cathedral, His Holiness addressed the whole Catholic community from Trivandrum and the neighbouring districts at Shankumukham beach. In His memorable speech at Shankumukham the Holy Father praised the heroic leadership of Mar Ivanios of happy memory and the ecclesial significance of the Syro-Malankara Reunion Movement (L’Osservatore Romano, Feb.17, 1986).
His Eminence Cardinal Lourdusamy, the Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, visited the Metropolitan Eparchy of Trivandrum on 19 August 1987.
After an eventful leadership of 41 years His Grace the Metropolitan Archbishop Benedict Mar Gregorios was called to eternal rest on 10 October 1994 and was buried at St. Mary’s Cathedral. His Excellency Most Rev. Lawrence Mar Ephraem, the Proto-Syncellus, was elected the Administrator of the Metropolitan Eparchy of Trivandrum. As per the appointment of Holy See, on 14 December 1995 His Excellency Most Rev. Cyril Mar Baselios, the Bishop of Bathery, was enthroned the Metropolitan Archbishop of Trivandrum and the Head of the Church at the St. Mary’s Cathedral, Trivandrum. His Grace received Sacred Pallium from the Holy Father Pope John Paul II on 9 January 1996 in Vatican.
His Eminence Achille Cardinal Silvestrini, Prefect of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, visited the Metropolitan Eparchy of Trivandrum, on 12, & 13 of February 1996.
His Eminence Josef Cardinal Tomko, Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples was received in the Archbishop’s House on 2 November 1996.
Upon the request of His Grace Cyril Mar Baselios, bifurcating the Metropolitan Eparchy of Trivandrum, His Holiness Pope John Paul II erected the Eparchy of Marthandom on 16 December 1996 and Most Rev. Lawrence Mar Ephrem was appointed as its first Bishop. His Grace Cyril Mar Baselios officiated the Installation of His Excellency Mar Ephraem at Christuraja Cathedral, Marthandom on 23 January 1997. The territorial boundary of the Eparchy of Marthandom extends to Kanyakumari in the south, Kalikavilai in the west, Kavalkinar in the north and Kumarapuram in the east.
The new extension of the Archbishop’s House ‘Thirusannidhi’ was blessed by Metropolitan Archbishop Most Rev. Cyril Mar Baselios on 11 and 12 March 1998.
On 16 April 1998, the Holy See appointed Most Rev. Joshua Mar Ignathios as the Auxiliary Bishop for the Archieparchy of Trivandrum. He was ordained Bishop on 29 June 1998 at Mar Ivanios Nagar, Nalanchira, by Metropolitan Archbishop His Grace Cyril Mar Baselios.
His Excellency Most Rev. Paulos Mar Philoxenos, Episcopal Vicar of the Metropolitan Eparchy of Trivandrum passed away on 3 November 1998, and was buried in St. John’s Cathedral, Tiruvalla. .
On 18 June 2001 Most Rev. Isaac Mar Cleemis was appointed by the Holy See as the Apostolic Visitor of North America and Europe and the Auxiliary Bishop of Trivandrum and as the titular Bishop of Chayal. His Episcopal Ordination took place on 15 August 2001 at St. Mary’s Malankara Catholic Church, Thirumoolapuram, Tiruvalla. His Grace Cyril Mar Baselios, the Metropolitan Archbishop was the principal consecrator.
The Holy See on 11 September 2003 appointed Bishop Isaac Mar Cleemis, as the Bishop of Tiruvalla when Bishop Geevarghese Mar Timotheos gave resignation due to super-annuation (on 29 March 2003). Most Rev. Isaac Mar Cleemis was installed Bishop of Tiruvalla on 2 October 2003.
Most Rev. Joseph Mar Thomas was appointed by Holy Father Pope John Paul II as Apostolic Visitor to North America and Europe and Auxiliary Bishop of Trivandrum and as the Titular Bishop of Silcilibbensis on 5 January 2005. He was ordained Bishop on 19 February 2005 at St. Mary’s Cathedral, Trivandrum, by His Grace Cyril Mar Baselios, the Metropolitan Archbishop.