Seven priests who have been elected for bishopric in the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church will be consecrated as Metropolitans on July 28.
The consecration services, to be held at the Pazhanji St. Mary's Cathedral, Kunnamkulam, will be led by Baselios Marthoma Mathews III, Catholicos of the East and Malankara Metropolitan. Representatives of various Church factions in Kerala and members from the Armenian, Russian Orthodox and Roman Catholic Churches will participate in the services.
Health Minister Veena George will inaugurate a public event to be held at the venue for felicitating the newly ordained metropolitans.
After 12-year gap
According to the Malankara Metropolitan, the new metropolitans will be deployed to the seven dioceses of Mavelikara, Chengannur, Kottayam, Idukki, Kunnamkulam, Malabar and South West America, which are currently lying vacant. The consecration ceremony, which is being held by the Orthodox Church after a gap of 12 years, will take the total number of metropolitans in the Church to 31. “The seats of the newly ordained metropolitans will be decided after consultations with the higher councils, including the Church managing committee,” he said.
Meanwhile, the Church is also set to appoint its new clergy and laity trustees, besides member of the Church managing committee for the next five years during a meeting of the Malankara Syrian Christian Association. As many as 4,301 members, including 1,410 priests, are slated to attend the meeting, to be held at Mount Tabore Dayara in Pathanapuram on August 4.
The trustee and committee members will be elected through online voting.
