Church of India Elected Seven Bishop Candidates

KOCHI (Kerala state, India): The MalankaraSyrian Christian Associationmeet at the MarThimothios MemorialHigher Secondary School, Pampakkuda, near here onSeptember 11, 2008, Thursday elected seven bishopCandidates from the 10 nominated by the managing committee of the Malankara Orthodox Church (Syrian Orthodox Church of the East). Those elected were Fr. Alex Daniel, Fr. Christophorous Ramban, Fr. Eldo Ramban, Fr. John Panikker, Fr. Markose Joseph, Fr. Mathew Baby and Fr. Stephen.

The Episcopal Synod of the Syrian Orthodox Church of the East (Malankara Orthodox Church) held at the church headquarters at Devlokam, Kottayam on September 22, 2008 , approved the election of seven Bishop Candidates to the Church. The consecration of Bishops will be held on February 19. 2009.

Around 3003 delegates from 22 dioceses representing the 1,600 parishes of the Malankara Orthodox Church spread across the world, participated in the Malankara Syrian Christian Association meet held at Pampakuda on on September 11 to elect Bishops. Around 891 priests and 2,112 laymen voted in the election of Bishops. The Association, the main decision-making body of the Malankara Orthodox Church (Syrian Orthodox Church of the East), adopted a democratic method to elect Bishops.

The Association includes the members of laity and priests from every parishioner church. The president of the Malankara Syrian Christian Association was the Catholicos of the East and Malankara Metropolitan Marthoma Didymus I, One of the supreme
of the Oriental Orthodox Church.

Members of the Malankara Church came from outside Kerala and the country, representing parishes in other parts of the country and in the U.S., Europe and the Gulf countries.