Malankara Metropolitan Joseph Mor Gregorios is likely to be next Catholicos

Kochi, Dec 8 (PTI) Malankara Metropolitan Joseph Mor Gregorios is likely to become the next Catholicos and head of the Jacobite Syrian Church in India, as the Patriarch of Antioch and head of the universal Syrian Orthodox Church, Ignatius Aphrem II, said on Sunday that the appointment has been recommended by all the churches.

The patriarch, who is on a 10-day visit to Kerala as a state guest, made this major announcement while addressing the priests at Malekurisu Dayara here.

"We are at peace knowing that our Church here is well taken care of by our beloved brother in Christ, His Eminence Mor Gregorios Joseph, who is our Malankara Metropolitan, assistant to Catholicos and who has been recommended by all churches to be Catholicos," he said.

The consecration ceremony will be held soon, according to church sources.

The church has not appointed the next Catholicos after the passing of Catholicos Baselios Thomas I on October 31. However, Jacobite Church metropolitan trustee Joseph Mor Gregorios Metropolitan was appointed Malankara Metropolitan, even before the demise of Baselios Thomas I considering the advancing age of Catholicos and the recommendations of the synod of the Jacobite Church.

The patriarch arrived in Kochi on Saturday.

On Monday, the 40th memorial day of the late Catholicos, the patriarch will take part in the mass at St Athanasius Cathedral, Patriarchal Centre, Puthencruz, here, according to a release issued by the Jacobite church. He will also deliver a memorial speech, it added. PTI ARM ARM KH