1960th anniversary of Indian Orthodox Church, Centenary celebration of re-establishment of Catholicosate of the East on November 25

Tenzin Gyatso, the fourteenth
and current Dalai Lama, is the
leader of the exiled Tibetan
government in India
-Photo: wikimedia.org

Tenzin Gyatso, the Dalai Lama, leader of the exiled Tibetan government in India will address the centenary meet

Kottayam, Friday, Oct 19 2012 IST: The 1960th anniversary of Malankara Orthodox Church (the traditional name of Indian Orthodox Church) and centenary of the re-establishment of Catholicosate of East meet would be held at Ernakulam on November 25. Trustee Fr Johns Abraham Konat and Secretary George Joseph and other leaders told newsmen here today that thousands of devotees from India and abroad would participate in the meet to be held at Marine Drive.

As part of the Catholicate centenary celebrations three propaganda rallies would be taken out from different zones. Church Secretary George Joseph would lead the rally from Thiruvithankode church tomorrow and His Holiness Baselios Marthoma Paulose II,Catholicos of East would inaugurate the rally. Another rally under the leadership of trustee M G George would be taken out from Chennai on November 4 and the other rally under the leadership of Fr Johns Abraham Konat from Kannur on November 8.

Metropolitans of the church, ministers and other leaders would address the rally at different centres.

Spiritual Leader of Tibet, the 14th Dalai Lama Tenzin Gyatso, former President of India, A P J Abdul Kalam, Chief Minister of Kerala, Oommen Chandy, Union Ministers, various religious, social and political leaders would address the centenary meet.

The church of India was founded in AD 52 by St Thomas. The Catholicte (Catholicosate) was re-established on 15th September 1912, at St. Mary's Church founded by St.Thomas in Niranam, Mar Ivanios Metropolitan of Kandanad was consecrated with the title Mar Baselios Paulose First as the first Indian Catholicose of the East. This Catholicate resided in Persia until the end of the 19th century. The Patriarch of Antioch St. Ignatius Abdul Masih II (1895-1915) relocated the Catholicate to India in 1912. The present Catholicos Baselios Marthoma Paulose II is the 109th Catholicos of the Orthodox Syrian Church of the East which includes the Indian Orthodox Church. Catholicos Baselios Marthoma Paulose II is the 8th Catholicos of India.