KOCHI: Heads of various Christian denominations condoled the demise of Metropolitan Joseph Mar Thoma, head of the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church, on Sunday. Kerala Catholic Bishops Council (KCBC) president Cardinal George Alencherry said that the late Mar Thoma Metropolitan was a man of debates and resolutions. The Cardinal said that his decades-long relationship with the prelate helped him understand many of his leadership skills as well.
Dr Joseph Kalathiparambil, Archbishop of Verapoly, said that the late Metropolitan was a great shepherd who held human values close to his heart. “In his lifetime, he advocated for the Dalit community and for the downtrodden. He strived for their betterment. He has left behind a mark in the spiritual, social and cultural fields of the society,” he said.
“Even in the difficult times of the Church, Metropolitan Joseph Mar Thoma extended his support. His efforts always stood for strengthening the relationship among the Churches. His passing away comes at a time when the crucial ecumenical dialogue between the churches was ongoing. It is an irreplaceable loss for us,” said head of the Malankara Jacobite Syrian Church Catholicos Baselios Thomas I. Heads of the Ernakulam-Angamaly Archdiocese of the Syro Malabar Church and Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church also expressed their condolences in the metropolitan’s demise.