Latest news with #BaseliosMarthomaMathewsIII
Time of India
31-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Church calls for ban on extremist religious groups
Kottayam: The arrest of two Catholic nuns by the Chhattisgarh police on charges of human trafficking and forced conversion is a deliberate attempt to undermine the social services provided by Christian churches, said Baselios Marthoma Mathews III, the Catholicos of the East and head of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. He stated that encroaching on the freedom of religion guaranteed by the Constitution cannot be allowed. Extremist religious organizations must be banned and the Union govt should ensure that those who take the law into their own hands are held accountable and punished. The action taken against the nuns, he said, is a disgrace to India's secular and democratic values. The Catholicos was speaking at a solidarity meeting held at the Devalokam Catholicate Palace, the church's headquarters, to express support for the nuns. He noted the irony that the Chhattisgarh chief minister himself studied in schools established by Christian churches, yet supports such actions. "Appeasement on one side and persecution on the other is a clear double standard," he said. He questioned whether the central govt is truly capable of controlling extremist organizations or if it fears losing its supporters by doing so. If the govt is sincere in its commitment to justice and secularism, the Malankara Church hopes it will take a fair and firm stance on the issue, he added. All metropolitans of the church joined the solidarity declaration.
The Hindu
31-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Central Travancore sees huge protests by Churches over nuns' incarceration
The prolonged incarceration of two Keralite nuns on forced conversion charges has ignited a wave of protest against the Sangh Parivar in central Travancore, signalling a fierce return of organised resistance under Church leadership after years of silence. A massive gathering of faithful at Bharananganam on Wednesday evening, organised by the Pala Diocese of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, marked a key moment in the unfolding protest. Addressing the crowd, Bishop Joseph Kallarangatt of Pala Diocese issued a strong warning that if the nuns continue to be held without just cause, the protest would escalate to the gates of Parliament. 'This is a moment when the Christian community in India, especially in Kerala, is awakening from its slumber,' the Bishop declared. The wave of protest is rapidly spreading across the region. The Idukki diocese held a massive demonstration in Kattappana on Thursday, while the Kothamangalam diocese is set to stage a similar protest in Thodupuzha on Friday. Signalling a broader mobilisation, the Syro-Malankara Church will lead a united march of all episcopal churches in Pathanamthitta on August 3. These major events are in addition to numerous parish- and regional-level protests and prayer meetings being held throughout the region. 'This is the first time in several years that the region is witnessing such large-scale, organised protests under Church leadership. The last time we saw such mobilisation was during the agitation against the Gadgil and Kasturirangan Committee reports,' noted a senior Catholic prelate. Meanwhile, the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church also voiced its dissent on Thursday. Senior clergy, including the Catholicos Baselios Marthoma Mathews III, staged a demonstration at the church headquarters in Kottayam against the arrest of the nuns. 'On one side, appeasement; on the other, persecution -- this is a classic case of trying to sail in two boats at once. One is forced to ask whether the central government is truly incapable of controlling extremist religious groups or is it the fear of losing their support base, that holds them back?' asked the Catholicos.
Time of India
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Church head decries violence in edu sector
Kottayam: Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church head Baselios Marthoma Mathews III said that he was extremely sad to see the way the students barged into the room of the Kerala University vice-chancellor and resorted to doing "foolish acts", which he termed "koprayangal" in Malayalam. Speaking at a function at the Old Seminary of the Orthodox Church in Chungom on Friday, the metropolitan repeated what Swami Vivekananda said over a century ago that Kerala is a lunatic asylum. "I was confined to my room as I could not go out due to the strike the other day. I happened to watch the news on TV, and only one news was being shown throughout, the students, irrespective of gender, barging into the room of the VC and resorting to foolish acts, which made me very sad," he said. Children are being sent to schools and colleges for their good future. "What will be going through the minds of parents who see this?," he asked. The education sector is becoming a sector of violence, he said. He urged those who are functioning in the education sector to do a right analysis about the sector. "Are we educating students who have lost aim?," he asked. He also raised big concerns about students who have lost conscience and are ready to kill their parents for buying even a small dose of drugs. "We can't dismiss them as isolated incidents. They are our children and part of the society. Why are they losing the ability to distinguish between right and wrong? Why are they moving towards a culture of destruction?," he asked. He said that an exact analysis of the education sector has to be done or else the next generation will say that we were an irresponsible generation. TNN
The Hindu
14-06-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
Druxit anti-drug awareness conclave held
Maharashtra Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan on Saturday inaugurated Druxit, an anti-drug awareness conclave organised by the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church in Kottayam. Addressing the gathering, the Governor emphasised the need to raise awareness among younger generations about the dangers of drug abuse. He urged citizens to treat the fight against drug addiction as a national mission. The event was presided over by Baselios Marthoma Mathews III, Catholicos of the East. In his address, the Catholicos announced plans to set up a Wellness Park on a 14-acre property near Kottayam town as part of the Church's commitment to holistic health. He also reaffirmed the Church's readiness to support those seeking to overcome addiction. Several other religious and political leaders extended their support to the initiative. Speakers included Joseph Mar Barnabas, Suffragan Metropolitan of the Nilackal diocese, Mar Thoma Syrian Church; Mar Jacob Muricken, former Auxiliary Bishop of Pala, Syro-Malabar Church; Malayil Sabu Koshi Cherian, Bishop of the CSI Madhya Kerala diocese; Shafiq Mannani, Chief Imam, Thazhathangadi Juma Masjid; and Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, MLA. Metropolitan Geevarghese Mar Coorilos, president of the Orthodox Church's Human Empowerment Department, welcomed the gathering. Filmmaker Blessy inaugurated the first session of the event while Divya S. Iyer, managing director of Vizhinjam International Seaport, delivered the keynote address. The summit saw the participation of the clergy, representatives from various faith-based organisations, teachers, students and members of the public.
United News of India
23-05-2025
- Politics
- United News of India
Sandalwood cross from Kerala gifted to Pope Leo XIV
Thiruvananthapuram, May 23 (UNI) A hand-carved sandalwood cross with stones from the skilled wood craftsmen of Udupi in Mangalore was gifted to Pope Leo XIV in Vatican City by the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church in Kerala. A delegation from the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church participated in the inaugural mass of the Pope Leo XIV held at St. Peter's Basilica in Vatican City. In a message conveyed to Pope Leo XIV, Catholicose of the East and Malankara Metropolitan, Baselios Marthoma Mathews III extended heartfelt congratulations and best wishes to the Pope and prayed for peace. The delegation's presence reflected the deep fraternal relationship and ecumenical goodwill shared between the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church and the Roman Catholic Church. The participation in the solemn liturgy reaffirmed the Malankara Church's continued commitment to dialogue, unity, and mutual respect among Christian communities, a release said. The Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church remains steadfast in its pursuit of Christian unity, and the delegation's participation in this historic celebration symbolizes the ongoing journey of communion and cooperation among the apostolic Churches. UNI DS PRS
