New Metropolitans accorded reception

NEDUMBASSERY: The newly consecrated Metropolitans of the Jacobite Church were accorded a warm reception at the Thuruthissery Mor Sabore Afroth Church. Metropolitans Alias Mar Athanasios presented ‘Sleebas’ to the Metropolitans Thomas Mar Alexandrios, Zacharias Mar Pol icarpose and Mathews Mar Anthimos.A public meeting convened to facilitate the Metropolitans was inaugurated by Metropolitan Poulose Mar Iranios.Meanwhile, Catholicos of India, Baselios Thomas I presided over a meeting of the priests of the Angamaly Diocese at Thuruthissery Church on Monday. The meeting urged the government to take immediate steps to reopen the churches and institutions lying closed because of factional fight, on the basis of the majority of the faithful in each church.The government should ensure that institutions including the Thrikkunnathu Church should be handed over to genuine heirs. The meeting expressed anxiety and protest over the closing down of churches in Ernakulam district.Earlier at the reception, Fr Varghese Areeckal Cor Episcopa, K Karnan, Fr Elias Iype, Fr Remy Abraham, Church Trustee Baby Paracka, Coordinator M K Elias, P V Georgekutty, P P Kuriachan and Johnson Varghese offered felicitations.