ALAPPUZHA: In a rare event in the history of the Malankara Orthodox Church, the mortal remains of a senior priest who died in the US 16 years ago have been brought back to his native Chengannur for burial.
C J Oommen Corepiscopa, a retired priest from Kottamala in Chengannur's Kottukulanji, passed away in Philadelphia on October 14, 2010, at age 85. He and his wife, Blossom Mathew Oommen, were staying with their eldest son, Hailey John Oommen, at the time. Since Blossom was suffering from age-related ailments and could not take his body back to Chengannur, the family held his funeral at the Mongolia Cemetery in Philadelphia on October 18.
Sadly, Blossom died on October 24, just 10 days after his death. Her body was subsequently brought to Kerala, and the funeral was held at St Mary's Church, Kodukulanji, under the Prakashagiri parish. However, the family's long-standing wish to bring C J Oommen's mortal remains back to his homeland for burial got stuck in legal and procedural hurdles.
“Since our mother had been too ill to travel to India with his body, we had decided to conduct his funeral in the US. After our mother's death, we brought her body to our native place and conducted the funeral here. We later initiated steps to exhume our father's mortal remains from the US cemetery and bring them for burial here, but legal hurdles stalled the process,” said Fr Goldenly Thomas Oommen, the couple's son.
After nearly two decades, the formalities were completed with the assistance of the Indian Embassy and the Church's permission was received.
On Wednesday, the Holy Qurbana will be celebrated at St Mary's Church, Prakashagiri. Mathews Mar Theodosius will be the chief celebrant. The burial ceremony will follow at 10.30 am in the presence of Diocesan Metropolitan Dr Mathews Mar Timotheos and other senior clergy.
The couple's children are Hailey, Goldenly, Montly Mathew Oommen, Sherly Mary Oommen, Vaskenly Geevarghese Oommen, Darly Elizabeth Oommen and the late Maryly Rachel Oommen.
C J Oommen served as secretary to Catholicos Baselios Geevarghese II from 1950 to 1957 at the Church headquarters in Devalokam, Kottayam.
