KOCHI: To resolve the crisis related to the implementation of the synodal decision on the uniform mode of celebrating the Holy Mass, Pope Francis has appointed Archbishop Cyril Vasil S J as the pontifical delegate for the Archeparchy of Ernakulam-Angamaly in India.
Archbishop Vasil will study the problems and propose ways to end the crisis. He currently serves as the Bishop of the Eparchy of Košice in the Slovak Greek Catholic Church in Slovakia and previously held the position of secretary of the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches. The unified Holy Mass has been already implemented in other Eparchies of the Syro-Malabar Church.
The proposal for a pontifical delegate for the Archeparchy came up first in the meeting that the permanent synod of the Syro-Malabar Church had in the Vatican with the Secretary of State and Cardinal-designate Archbishop Claudio Gugerotti, the Prefect of the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches at the Vatican on May 4, 2023. Subsequently, it was communicated that the Pope will consider the proposal, said the spokesperson for the Syro Malabar Church.
In this context, the synod of the Bishops of the Syro-Malabar Church convened in June 2023 and held extensive discussion regarding the proposal for the appointment of a pontifical delegate for the Archeparchy, and having decided favourably in the synod on the matter, it was communicated to the Apostolic See, said the spokesperson.
The pontifical delegate will arrive on August 4, 2023. Even while the pontifical delegate functions in the Archeparchy of Ernakulam-Angamaly as a special envoy of the Pope, Archbishop Andrews Thazhath will continue to be the administrator of the Archeparchy in his capacity as the apostolic administrator.