PATHANAMTHITTA: The Christian community must uphold a politics based on moral principles that refuses to compromise with religious fanaticism and communal hatred, Theodosius Mar Thoma, the head of the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church, has said.
The metropolitan was inaugurating the 131st edition of Maramon Convention on the sand bed of the Pampa in Maramon, near Kozhencherry, on Sunday.
Referring to the growing insecurity experienced by religious minorities in the country, he said continuous persecution has created a sense of fear within society.
Mar Theodosius warned that democracy is being weakened through the denial of pluralism, questioning of citizenship, and distorted interpretations of nationalism. As the state moves towards an election, there is a pressing need for systems of governance that respect equal rights, include all sections of society, and remain open to criticism.
He urged authorities to demonstrate the political will to release and implement the recommendations of the Justice J B Koshy Commission Report, submitted in 2023. When the government proposed a welfare fund for religious teachers, it is essential to understand what the commission had stated on the matter, he said, cautioning that such initiatives should not become a backdoor for political interference in churches engaged in selfless service.
The inaugural session was presided over by Isaac Mar Philoxenos, president of the Mar Thoma Evangelistic Assocition (MTEA). One of the key speakers of the convention, Dr Cleophus J LaRue, delivered the homily. Suffragan metropolitans Euyakim Mar Coorilos and Joseph Mar Barnabas; episcopas Thomas Mar Timotheos and Abraham Mar Paulos attended among others.