The First Cardinal of the Malankara Church
The Head and Father of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, His Beatitude Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis, Major Archbishop Catholicos was received to the College of Cardinals of the Universal Church by His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI during a very impressive ceremony held at the St. Peter's Basilica, Rome on November 24, 2012. H.B. Baselios Cardinal Cleemis is the first Cardinal of the Malankara Church and the youngest Cardinal in the College of Cardinals. All the bishops of the Malankara Catholic Church, a number of priests, sisters and hundreds of Malankara Catholic Faithful from all parts of the world gathered in Rome in order to participate in the ceremony and to thank the Lord for this special grace gifted to the Church. The Exarchate was represented by His Excellency the Most Rev. Thomas Mar Eusebius, Very Rev. Msgr. Peter Kochery, most of the priests of the Exarchate and around 80 faithful from the different parishes of the Exarchate. The Exarchate extends hearty congratulations and prayerful best wishes to our beloved Bava Thirumeni as he assumes a new responsibility in the Universal Church as a Cardinal.
More news is available at the following web links:
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Vatican Site (vatican.va)
- Consistory for the appointiment of six new Cardinals
- Benedict XVI: Cardinals highlights universality of Church
Vatican News Site (news.va)
Rome Reports (romereports.com)