Yesterday, the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian
Unity announced that from September 4-6, the Holy Father, Pope Francis
will receive the visit of His Holiness, Moran Baselios Marthoma
Paulose II, Catholicos of the Orthodox Syro-Malankaran Church, which has
its roots in India. This meeting will take place during the pastoral
visit of the Catholicos to the Orthodox Syro-Malankaran faithful in Europe.
The Malankaran Orthodox Church is divided in two
communities: the Malankaran Syrian Orthodox Church, which is in full communion
with the Syrian Orthodox Patriarch of Antioch; and the Orthodox Syro-Malankaran
Church, an autonomous Orthodox Church which recognizes his Holiness Moran
Baselios Marthoma Paulose II as its leader. Today, the Orthodox Syro-Malankaran
Church numbers about 2.5 million members in 30 dioceses, served by 33 bishops
and by 1,700 priests.
Of great importance were the meetings which took place
between Blessed Pope John Paul II and Catholicos Moran Mar Baselios Marthoma
MAthews I in 1983 in Rome and in 1986 in Kattoyam, India. On that
occasion, the Mixed International Commission for dialogue between the
Catholic Church and the Orthodox Syro-Malankaran Church was established.
An important fruit of this contact has been the common Christological
Declaration which was signed in 1990 by Pope John Paul II and by Catholicos
Moran Mar Baselios Marthoma Mathews I. Since 1989, two parallel
dialogues have taken place each year in Kerala (Southern India), one with the Malankaran
Syrian Orthodox Church and the other with the Orthodox Syro-Malankarna
Church. These dialogues are principally
concerned with questions pertaining to three main themes: the history of the
Church in India, Ecclesiology and the common witness of faith.
Besides his encounter with Pope Francis on September 5, Catholicos
Moran Baselios Marthoma Paulose II, will visit the Tomb of the Apostle Peter
and will also be received by the personnel of the Pontifical Council for
Promoting Christian Unity.
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