PATHANAMITHITTA: Baselios Mar Thoma Paulose II, 64, was installed as the 91st Catholicos of the Malankara Orthodox Church at a ceremony held at Parumala Seminary near Tiruvalla on Monday. For the first time in the history of the Malankara Orthodox Church, the Catholicos Baselios Mar Thoma Didymos I himself spearheaded the installation ceremony of his new successor. The installation ceremony began at 8 a.m. after the special Holy Mass led by Thomas Mar Athanasios in the presence of Mar Thoma Didymos I.
After the special mass, Kottayam Theological Seminary principal Rev Dr K M George delivered a discourse. Before the installation ceremony, a procession led by the Catholicos and Catholicos-designate accompanied by other metropolitans was taken out from the main entrance of the seminary to the venue of the ceremony.
Geevarghese Mar Osthathios, Thomas Mar Athansios, Geevarghese Mar Ivanios, Kuriakose Mar Clemis, Zacharias Mar Anthonios, Thomas Mar Athanaisos, Geevarghese Mar Coorilos, Paulose Mar Pakomios, Mathews Mar Severios, Yacub Mar Ireneos, Gabriel Mar Gregorios, Zacharias Mar Theophilos, Yuhanon Mar Chrysostimos, Yuhanon Mar Policarpus, Mathews Mar Thevodosis , Joseph Mar Devanasios, Abraham Mar Epipanios, Mathews Mar Thimothios, Yuhanon Mar Dioscorus, Yuhanon Mar Demothrios, Yuhanon Mar Thevodsios, Yacub Mar Elias, Joshua Mar Nikodimos, Zacharia Mar Aprem, Geevarghese Mar Ulios and Abraham Mar Seraphim participated.
The installation ceremony concluded with the faith declaration by the Catholicos after extending prayers by the metropolitans by raising their arms on the Catholicos and lifting the traditional chair carrying Mar Thoma Paulose II after holding the 'amsavadi' in his hands three times.