Major Archbishop of Syro-Malabar Church His Beatitude Cardinal Mar Varkey Vithayathil Passed away

Mor Varkey Vithayathil born on 29th May 1927 of Thresiamma and Justice Joseph Vithayathil at North Parur, Archbishop Varkey Vithayathil had his school education at North Parur and Thiruvananthapuram, and his college education at University College Thriuvananthapuram and St Joseph’s College, Trichy. Joining the Redemptorist Order, Varkey Vithayathil professed as its member on 2nd August 1947, and after completing his studies in Philosophy and Theology he was ordained Priest on 12th June 1954. In 1955 he went to Rome for his studies in Canon Law at the University of St Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum) from where he took his doctorate in 1959 on “The Origin and Progress of the Syro-Malabar Hierarchy.” Major Archbishop of Syro-Malabar Church His Beatitude Cardinal Mar Varkey Vithayathil (84) Passed away on today 2pm. Funeral ceremony will held on 10 April 2011 at St. Marys Beselica Cochin. Condolence of Jacobite Syrian Church Mor Varkey Vithayathil born on 29th May 1927 of Thresiamma and Justice Joseph Vithayathil at North Parur, Archbishop Varkey Vithayathil had his school education at North Parur and Thiruvananthapuram, and his college education at University College Thriuvananthapuram and St Joseph’s College, Trichy. Joining the Redemptorist Order, Varkey Vithayathil professed as its member on 2nd August 1947, and after completing his studies in Philosophy and Theology he was ordained Priest on 12th June 1954. In 1955 he went to Rome for his studies in Canon Law at the University of St Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum) from where he took his doctorate in 1959 on “The Origin and Progress of the Syro-Malabar Hierarchy.” After coming back from Rome, Dr. Varkey Vithayathil served as professor of Canon Law for about 25 years at the Redemptorist Major Seminary, Bangalore. In 1972 he took his Master’s Degree in Philosophy from Karnataka University. He also taught different subjects in several other Seminaries in Bangalore. He served as the Provincial Superior of the Redemptorist Order from 1978 to ’84, and as president of the CRI from 1984 to ’85. He was appointed Apostolic Administrator of the Benedictine Monastery in Bangalore (1990-96) by His Holiness Pope John Paul II. On 18th December 1996 Dr. Varkey Vithayathil was nominated Titular Bishop of “Antinoe” and the Apostolic Administrator of the Syro-Malabar Major Archiepiscopal Church and of the Archdiocese of Ernakulam-Angamaly. He was consecrated bishop in Rome by His Holiness Pope John Paul II on 6th January 1997. He assumed charge of the Syro-Malabar Major Archiepiscopal Church and of the Archdiocese of Ernakulam – Angamaly on 18th January 1997. On 23rd December 1999 His Holiness Pope John Paul II appointed Mar Varkey Vithayathil as the Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Church and as the Archbishop of Ernakulam – Angamaly. His enthronement as the Major Archbishop took place at St Mary’s Basilica, Ernakulam on 26th January 2000.His Holiness Pope John Paul II nominated Mar Varkey Vithayathil a member of the college of cardinals on 21st January 2001. At the consistory on 21st February he was raised to the dignity of a cardinal. The sacerdotal golden jubilee of the Major Archbishop Mar Varkey Cardinal Vithayathil was celebrated under the auspices of the Syro-Malabar church on 8th November 2003. The jubilee was inaugurated on 12th June 2003 and was concluded on 12th June 2004. He is a member of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches, of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts and of the Pontifical Council for the promotion of unity of Christians. He participated in the funeral rites for Pope John Paul II and in the Conclave which elected Pope Benedict XVI. H. E. Cardinal Varkey Vithayathil is elected president of CBCI in 2008. The Syro-Malabar Major Archbishop’s Curia (Office) is situated on a small hillock named Mount St Thomas, on the Ernakulam-Kizhakambalam road, 12 kilometers away from Ernakulam town. According to the canons of the Code of Canons of the Oriental Churches the major archbishop who is also the bishop of a diocese must have two separate offices, one for his diocese and another for the entire Church over which he presides. Though ideally both offices are to be found in the same place due to the non-availability of enough space it was decided to construct this latter office in its present site. It was Archbishop Abraham Kattumana, the late Pontifical Delegate to the Syro-Malabar Church, who initiated the project. A plot measuring 21.5 acres belonging to the Novodaya Film Studios was purchased for this purpose. The foundation stone of the new building was laid on 16th November 1995 by the late Cardinal Antony Padiyara, the first Major Archbishop. On completion of the building he himself blessed it on 3rd July 1998. The offices were inaugurated by the present Major Archbishop Cardinal Varkey Vithayathil, C.Ss.R. The Syro-Malabar Church is an Apostolic Church which traces its origin to the Apostolate of St. Thomas who, according to the tradition, landed at Cranganore in 52 AD and founded seven Christian communities at Palayur, Cranganore, Kokkamangalam, Kottakavu (Parur), Quilon, Niranam, and Chayal. It is one of the 22 sui iuris Oriental Churches in Catholic Communion with its own particular characteristics expressed in worship, spirituality, theology and disciplinary laws. The early Christian community in India was known as St. Thomas Christians. In the course of history this Church entered into life-relation with the Christian communities which came to be known as the East Syrian Church. This relationship made the Thomas Christians share the liturgical, spiritual and other ecclesiastical traditions with the East Syrian Church. At the same time St. Thomas Christians kept their distinctive character especially in Church administration and socio-cultural and ascetico-spiritual life. In the 16th Century with the arrival of the Portuguese, a new era began in the life of this Church, i.e., the latinization of its liturgy and the efforts of the St. Thomas Christians to free itself from this situation. In the Nineteenth Century this Church was designated as the Syro-Malabar Church in the documents from the Roman Curia under which name it is known today. In 1887 the St. Thomas Christians were re-organized under two Vicariates, Kottayam and Trichur. In 1896, when the St. Thomas Christians obtained bishops of their own rite and nation, they were further reorganized into three Vicariates, Trichur, Ernakulam and Changanacherry. On December 21, 1923, the Syro-Malabar Hierarchy was established with Ernakulam as the Metropolitan See and Trichur and Changanacherry and Kottayam (established in 1911 for the Southists) as suffragans. In 1956 Changanacherry was raised to the status of a Metropolitan See. On December 16, 1992, Pope John Paul II raised the Syro-Malabar Church to the status of Major Archiepiscopal sui iuris Church with the title of Ernakulam-Angamaly. Mar Antony Paidyara, the then Metropolitan of Ernakulam was appointed its Major Archbishop with Mar Abraham Kattumana as the Pontifical Delegate who discharged the duties of the Major Archbishop. Archbishop Kattumana died unexpectedly during his visit to Rome in April 1995 and Mar Padiyara was given the powers of the Major Archbishop. In November 1996 Cardinal Padiyara resigned from his office as Major Archbishop. In his place Archbishop Varkey Vithayathil, C.Ss.R. was appointed as the Apostolic Administrator. In December 1998 he was appointed Major Archbishop by the Pope. In February 2001 Archbishop Vithayathil was created a Cardinal by Pope John Paul II //

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