Two Indian prelates appointed as members to Middle East Synod
(Oct.05,2010) Two Indian prelates, are among a total number of 16 top Church officials,
appointed on Tuesday by Pope Benedict XVI, as members of the upcoming Special General
Assembly of the Middle East Synod of Bishops to be held in Rome. The theme of the
October 10-24 Synod is “The Catholic Church in the Middle East: Communion and Witness.”
The Indian prelates are - Syro-Malankara rite Archbishop Baselios Cleemis Thottunkal
of Trivandrum Archdiocese and Syro-Malabar rite Auxiliary Bishop Bosco Puthur of Ernakulam-Angamaly.
Among the other Papal appointed members are Cardinal Angelo Sodano, Dean of the College
of Cardinals, Cardinal Walter Kasper, former President of Vatican’s Pontifical Council
for Promoting Christian Unity and retired Latin-rite Patriarch Michel Sabbah of
Jerusalem.