Catholicos of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church meets with Pope Francis
September 5, 2013: Moran Baselios Marthoma Paulose II, Catholicos of the Malankara
Orthodox Syrian Church in India, visited Pope Francis Thursday morning. The meeting
formed part of the Catholicos' pastoral visit to orthodox faithful in Europe.
The
Malankara Orthodox Church is divided into two communities: the Malankara Orthodox
Syrian Church in full communion with the Orthodox Syrian Patriarch of Antioch, and
the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church led by His Holiness Moran Baselios Marthoma Paulose
II, (automous orthodox Church). The Orthodox Syrian Church currently has over 2.5
million members in thirty dioceses, with more than 33 bishops and 1,700 priests.
Two
important meetings took place between Pope John Paul II and the Catholicos Moran Mar
Baselios Marthoma Mathews I, in Rome in 1983 and in Kottayam in 1986; on the latter
occasion the Mixed International Commission for Dialogue between the Catholic Church
and the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church was established. In 1990, the common Christological
Declaration was signed. Since 1989 two parallel dialogues have taken place annually
in Kerala, southern India; one with each of the two communities. These dialogues relate
to questions on three main themes: the history of the Church in India, ecclesiology,
and common witness.
The Catholicos Moran Baselios Marthoma Paulose II, after
meeting with the Holy Father visited the tomb of the Apostle Peter and was received
by the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of Christian unity.
In his address,
pope Francis, referring to the faith of St. Thomas, said “It is precisely in this
faith that we meet each other; it is this faith that unites us, even if we cannot
yet share the Eucharistic table; and it is this faith which urges us to continue and
intensify the commitment to ecumenism, encounter and dialogue towards full communion.
He said, “With you I desire that our Churches may soon find effective ways of resolving
the urgent pastoral problems that face us, and that we may progress together in brotherly
love and in our theological dialogue, for it is by these means that reconciliation
among Christians and reconciliation in the world can come about.” He added.
(Full
Text of the address of Pope Francis)
Your Holiness, dear Brothers in Christ,
It
is a joy for me to meet Your Holiness and the distinguished delegation of the Malankara
Orthodox Syrian Church. Through you, I greet a Church that was founded upon the witness,
even to martyrdom, that Saint Thomas gave to Our Lord Jesus Christ. The apostolic
fraternity which united the first disciples in their service of the Gospel, today
also unites our Churches, notwithstanding the many divisions that have arisen in the
sometimes sad course of history, divisions which, thanks be to God, we are endeavouring
to overcome in obedience to Lord’s will and desire (cf. Jn 17:21).
The Apostle
Thomas exclaimed, “My Lord and my God!” (Jn 2:28) with one of the most beautiful confessions
of faith in Christ handed down by the Gospels, a faith which proclaims the divinity
of Christ, his lordship in our lives, and his victory over sin and death through his
resurrection. This event is so real that Saint Thomas is invited to touch for himself
the actual marks of the crucified and risen Jesus (cf. Jn 20:27). It is precisely
in this faith that we meet each other; it is this faith that unites us, even if we
cannot yet share the Eucharistic table; and it is this faith which urges us to continue
and intensify the commitment to ecumenism, encounter and dialogue towards full communion.
With deep affection I welcome Your Holiness and the members of your delegation and
I ask you to convey my cordial greetings to the Bishops, clergy and faithful of the
Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. I also greet to the communities you are visiting
in Europe.
Thirty years ago, in June of 1983, Catholicos Moran Mar Baselios
Marthoma Mathews I paid a visit to my venerable predecessor, Pope John Paul II and
to the Church of Rome. Together, they recognised their common faith in Christ. Afterwards,
they met again at Kottayam, in the Cathedral of Mar Elias, in February of 1986 during
the pastoral visits of the Pope in India. On that occasion, Pope John Paul II said:
“With you I desire that our Churches may soon find effective ways of resolving the
urgent pastoral problems that face us, and that we may progress together in brotherly
love and in our theological dialogue, for it is by these means that reconciliation
among Christians and reconciliation in the world can come about. I can assure you
that the Catholic Church, with the commitment she made at the Second Vatican Council,
is ready to participate fully in this enterprise.”
From those encounters
began a concrete path of dialogue with the institution of a mixed commission, which
brought to birth the agreement of 1990, on the day of Pentecost, a commission which
continues its important work and which has brought us to significant steps on themes
such as the common use of buildings of worship and cemeteries, the mutual concession
of spiritual and even liturgical resources in specific pastoral situations, and the
necessity to identify new forms of collaboration when faced with growing social and
religious challenges.
I wanted to recall some of the steps in these 30 years
of the growing closeness between us, because I believe that on the ecumenical path
it is important to look with trust to the steps that have been completed, overcoming
prejudices and closed attitudes which are part of a kind of “culture of clashes” and
source of division, and giving way to a "culture of encounter", which educates us
for mutual understanding and for working towards unity. Alone however, this is impossible;
our witnesses and poverty slow the progress. For this reason, it is important to intensify
our prayer, because only the Holy Spirit with his grace, his light and his warmth
can melt our coldness and guide our steps towards an ever greater brotherhood. Prayer
and commitment in order to let relationships of friendship and cooperation grow at
various levels, in the clergy, among the faithful, and among the various churches
born from the witness given by St Thomas. May the Holy Spirit continue to enlighten
us and guide us towards reconciliation and harmony, overcoming all causes of division
and rivalry which have marked our past. Your Holiness, let us walk this path together,
looking with trust towards that day in which, with the help of God, we will be united
at the altar of Christ's sacrifice, in the fullness of Eucharistic communion.
Let
us pray for one another, invoking the protection of Saint Peter and Saint Thomas upon
all the flock that has been entrusted to our pastoral care. May they who worked together
for the Gospel, intercede for us and accompany the journey of our Churches.