KOTTAYAM: The consecration services of the Orthodox Church bishops, which is one of the longest in the Church, commenced at 6 a.m. and came to a close by 1 p.m. Course by course, the services were carried out to the finale, and the seven were lifted in their chairs one by one, to the accompaniment of the faithful approving their eligibility to attain the supreme posts with cries of ‘Oxios’. Later, they were also bestowed with a crosier, denoting their powers to lead the flock assigned to them.
Yuhanon Mar Dimetrayos, the eldest among the seven newly ordained bishops, said the Holy Mass at the end of the ceremony.
The services were enlivened with the renderings of Sruthi Choir, led by Fr M P George.
Those ordained on Wednesday were selected from a panel of eligible who got the maximum number of votes in the Malankara Association meet held at Sasthamkotta in February this year, who were screened earlier by a committee comprising synod representatives, managing committee selectees and the Church head.
The auspicious function had a bevy of dignitaries to grace it, while the main church hall and shamianas outside were overflowing with nearly 25,000 faithful, who had come from far and near.
A felicitation meet was held in honour of the new metropolitans. Mathews Mar Sevarios, Fr T J Joshua, Fr Jacob Kurien, Fr Mohan Joseph, Jose K Mani MP and V N Vasavan MLA spoke.
Opposition Leader Oommen Chandy released a souvenir to mark the occasion. MPs P J Kurien, P T Thomas, and Anto Antony, MLAs Joseph M Puthuserry, K C Joseph, Thomas Chazhikadan, Tiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, Mons Joseph, M Murali and P C Vishnunath spoke.
Record-setting Catholicos
With the enthronement of the new Metropolitans, Catholicos Baselios Marthoma Didymos- I, who carries a record of being the only one in the history of the Church to assume the top post at the age of 84, created another record on Wednesday as one who had ordained 14 bishops in his five-year stint so far as Church head. A few years ago, seven Metropolitans were ordained at a function held at the Puthupally church.