Faith, love and evangelization are the main focus of Archbishop Baselios

Thiruvananthapuram – Evangelization, Christian unity and enhancing the faith will be the focus of Archbishop Cyril Mar Baselios Malancharuvil, the head of the Syro–Malankara Church, who was installed as the first Major Archbishop of the newly elevated Major Archiepiscopal Church of Trivandrum on May 14.

Archbishop Baselios, a former president of the Catholic Bishops Conference of India (CBCI), made it clear that “evangelization and the unity of Christian Churches were [his] major challenges.

A firm believer of “love” and “enhancing the faith,” Archbishop Baselios said, “Everything is possible when there is faith.”

“The human spirit can do wonders when it is infused with the Holy Spirit, which is boundless,” he said.
Speaking about the elevation of Benedict XVI to the Pontifical Throne, the archbishop expressed his deep joy and gave “thanks to Heaven for the appointment of Cardinal Ratzinger as Pope.”

“I know him personally and I am certain that he is the right person for the times we live in. His openness and desire for unity with other Christian Churches will lead the Church of this generation into a new era,” he said.

The appointment of the new Pontiff is an encouraging sign for the archbishop as “His simplicity, his ardent hope and desire for ecumenism are inspiring” and they confirm his “mission as head of the Malankara Church.”

In his opinion, “the Catholic Church will be witness to full unity during Benedict XVI’s pontificate”.

With the installation of Archbishop Baselios as the head of the newly elevated Major Archiepiscopal Church of Trivandrum on May 14 and the recognition by the Holy See, the Church of Trivandrum will acquire powers of “self–government” – it will come directly under the Pope and will be able to set up its own autonomous administration.

“The Church has always highlighted the need to defend human rights, at both the individual and collective levels, as an intrinsic part of its message and mission,” the archbishop said.

Now, the Church will have independent administrative tribunals so that it can give visible signs of “its will to defend human rights,” he said.

The installation ceremony was led by Cardinal Ignatius Moussa Dahoud, Prefect of the Congregation of the East. Papal Nuncio Cardinal Lopez Pedro Quintana read out the Papal Bull in Latin.

Earlier in February, Cyril Mar Baselios was elevated to the status of Major Archbishop by Pope John Paul II.

A large gathering including bishops, priests, religious leaders and the faithful filled up the St Mary's Cathedral, Pattam, the venue of the ceremony, to witness the installation.

Various dignitaries, both ecclesiastic and civilian, including Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and bishops from the Syro–Malabar and Latin rites and bishops of other church denominations and people from different communities felicitated Baselios on the occasion.

With this installation, the Syro–Malankara Church became the second ritual Church in India to enjoy major archiepiscopal status following the Vatican's promulgation of the new Code for the Eastern Churches in 1990. This status gives the Church the right to govern its affairs. The other Indian rite, the Syro–Malabar Church, received such status in 1992.

The Syro–Malankara Church, formerly part of the Orthodox Church, joined the Catholic Church in 1930.
The Syro–Malabar Church follows the Chaldean tradition.