The Patriarchal Circular issued by His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II - January 27, 2025
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Below you can find published the Patriarchal Circular issued by His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II - January 27, 2025 (in English):
No. EN 54/25
ܒܫܡ ܐܝܬܝܐ ܡܬܘܡܝܐ ܐܠܨܝ ܐܝܬܘܬܐ ܕܟܠ ܐܚܝܕ
ܐܝܓܢܛܝܘܣ ܦܛܪܝܪܟܐ ܕܟܘܪܣܝܐ ܫܠܝܚܝܐ ܕܐܢܛܝܘܟܝܐ ܘܕܟܠܗ̇ ܡܕܢܚܐ
ܘܪܝܫܐ ܓܘܢܝܐ ܕܥܕܬܐ ܣܘܪܝܝܬܐ ܐܪܬܕܘܟܣܝܬܐ ܕܒܟܠܗ̇ ܬܒܝܠ
ܕܗܘ ܐܦܪܝܡ ܬܪܝܢܐ ܡ̄
We extend our apostolic benediction, benevolent prayers and greetings to our brethren, their Eminences the Metropolitans; our spiritual children: Very Reverend Corepiscopoi, Reverend priests, monks, nuns and deacons and the entire blessed Syriac Orthodox people throughout the world. May the divine providence embrace them through the intercession of the Virgin Mary, Mother of God, and St. Peter, Chief of the Apostles, St. Thomas the Apostle, and the rest of the Martyrs and Saints. Amen.
Dearly beloved in Christ,
Following the passing away of His Beatitude the Late Catholicos (Maphryono) Mor Baselios Thomas I on October 31, 2024, the office of the Catholicos (Maphryono) of India became vacant. During our recent visit to India to commemorate the Fortieth day memorial of the late lamented Catholicos of India, we presided over a session of the Regional Holy Synod of India on December 8, 2024. During this session, we discussed the situation of the Church in India and the Church's need for a new Catholicos to lead her towards growth and prosperity through the great challenges of our times. After listening to the opinions of their Eminences, members of the Regional Holy Synod of India, and discussing the legal procedures for the election of the new Catholicos, their Eminences unanimously elected His Eminence Mor Gregorios Joseph, the Metropolitan Trustee and Metropolitan of Kochi Diocese to the office of Catholicos of India.
According to Article 22 (A) of our Church Constitution, we wrote to their Eminences, the Archbishops members of our Holy Synod of Antioch to endorse this election. Their Eminences unanimously expressed their endorsement of election. Accordingly, We chose Tuesday March 25, 2025 – Feast of the Annunciation – to celebrate the ordination of His Eminence as Catholicos of India with the name “His Beatitude Mor Baselios Joseph” at our St. Mary’s Cathedral in Atchaneh, Lebanon.
His Eminence Mor Gregorios Joseph was born in Kochi in 1960. He was ordained Metropolitan of Kochi Diocese in 1994, by the late Patriarch Mor Ignatius Zakka I, of blessed memory. He was elected by the Church Association in 2019, as Metropolitan Trustee, following the resignation of His Beatitude Mor Baselios Thomas I. We conferred to him the title “Malankara Metropolitan” during our Apostolic visit to India in February 2024.
Dearly beloved,
We wish also to inform you that we will convene a Universal Synod on March 26, 2025, at our Patriarchal Residence in Atchaneh. Their Eminences the Archbishops, members of the Holy Synod of Antioch and the Regional Holy Synod of India, will meet at the Universal Synod to discuss matters of importance to our Church. We solicit your prayers asking the Lord to bless the ministry of the new Catholicos and to inspire us all to do what is good for our Church through the intercession of the Holy Virgin Mary, the Mother of God, Saint Peter, the Chief of the Apostles, St. Thomas the Apostle, and all the martyrs and saints ܘܐܒܘܢ ܕܒܫܡܝܐ ܘܫܪܟܐ.
Issued at our Patriarchate in Damascus, Syria
On the twenty-seventh of January 2025,
Which is the 11th year of our Patriarchate
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This Circular was published on the Facebook Page of His Holiness Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem II.