Kottayam: It was a display of profound affection and reverence that the followers of the Jacobite Church showered on their beloved Catholicos at the Manarcad St. Mary's Jacobite Syrian Cathedral on August 20 last year. The occasion was the golden jubilee celebration of his ordination as a prelate. For nearly 20 minutes, devotees surrounded him, eagerly reaching to touch his feet and seek his blessings.
Some fell to his feet in respect, while others kissed his hand in admiration. It took a concerted effort by the Cathedral's priests and office bearers to guide the Catholicos through the crowd and onto the stage. Each mention of his name by Major Archbishop Cardinal Mar Baselios Cleemis Catholicos, who delivered the inaugural speech, was met with a thunderous round of applause. The event began with a grand procession comprising a convoy of hundreds of vehicles, giving the Catholicos a rousing welcome.
During the Eight-Day Lent at the Cathedral, it was customary for the Catholicos to arrive on the seventh day to offer Holy Mass, after which the Nada Thurakkal ritual would take place in his presence. However, this year, that tradition took a different course. Though the Catholicos who held the Manarcad Cathedral close to his heart have passed on, his legacy endures, and his portrait will continue to shine in the hearts of his devoted followers forever.
