Pope encourages stronger Syro Malankara identity in Europe

VATICAN CITY (Indian Catholic News) — Pope Leo XIV has encouraged Syro Malankara Catholics living in Europe to stay closely connected to their Eastern Catholic roots, take an active role in church life, and remain united with their bishops as they look ahead to celebrating their church’s centenary.

“I ask all of you to promote greater awareness about the precious identity of the Syro Malankara Church and your own identification with it, by participating in its ecclesial life and experiencing your unique heritage, aware of your great dignity, while remaining united to the Major Archbishop and Synod of Bishops,” Pope Leo said.

He was addressing participants June 15 at the first convention of Syro Malankara clergy and faithful residing in Europe.

The pope welcomed a delegation led by Major Archbishop Cardinal Baselios Mar Cleemis Thottunkal of Trivandrum and Bishop Kuriakose Osthathios Thomas Thadathil, recently appointed Apostolic Visitator for Syro Malankara Church in Europe.

Pope Leo noted that the Syro Malankara Church has begun “an intense multi-year journey of spiritual renewal in preparation for its centenary” and reflected on its growth since the establishment of its hierarchy in 1932.

The Syro Malankara Catholic Church is preparing to celebrate its centenary reunion in 2030 — a milestone that recalls the historic moment on September 20, 1930, when Archbishop Mar Ivanios and other leaders of the Malankara tradition entered into full communion with Rome after centuries of separation.

Honouring Mar Ivanios’ legacy

The pope paid special tribute to Venerable Mar Ivanios, the founding leader of the Syro Malankara Catholic Church, recalling how he worked to restore communion with Rome while fostering a broader vision for the church.

Pope Leo said Mar Ivanios helped clergy, religious and faithful “to rediscover ecclesial communion with the Successor of the Apostle Peter as a vital part of living the Christian faith.” “The first Syro Malankara Metropolitan Archbishop of Trivandrum was indeed a true Shepherd after the Heart of Jesus through whom the Holy Spirit guided God’s flock,” the pope said.

He added that Mar Ivanios embodied a “great desire for a united Church, a sign of unity and communion, which becomes a leaven for a reconciled world.”

According to Pope Leo, Mar Ivanios looked beyond the boundaries of Kerala and recognized the need “to recover the dynamism of the good seed planted in India by the preaching and the martyrdom of Saint Thomas the Apostle.”

The pope also highlighted the missionary vision of the church’s founder, noting that he insisted “missionary work not be performed with words alone, but rather through a virtuous life and genuine charitable service.”

Church growth and missionary witness

Pope Leo praised the church’s long-standing commitment to evangelization and service, describing it as “a beacon of evangelical energy and apostolic charity.” The church, he said, has contributed to “social justice, education and integral human development to those on the margins of society.”

Quoting Benedict XVI, Pope Leo said the Gospel spreads “by ‘attraction’: just as Christ ‘draws all to himself’ by the power of his love, culminating in the sacrifice of the Cross.”

The pope pointed to the church’s expansion beyond its original linguistic and ethnic roots in Kerala, particularly in neighbouring Tamil Nadu. He credited the growth of Syro Malankara communities there to the dedication of church leaders and members of the Congregation of the Daughters of Mary.

Pope Leo encouraged the church’s Synod of Bishops and religious institutes to demonstrate similar commitment to newer dioceses in India, especially the eparchies of Saint Ephrem of Khadki and Saint John Chrysostom of Gurgaon.

Preserving Eastern traditions in the diaspora

A major theme of the pope’s address was the importance of preserving the traditions of Eastern Catholic churches among migrant communities. “At the same time, an equally urgent commitment is required to the preservation and promotion of the inestimable treasures incarnated by all the Eastern Churches especially in the growing diaspora,” he said.

Pope Leo reviewed efforts by previous popes to provide pastoral care for Syro Malankara Catholics outside India, including the establishment of church structures in North America.

He also highlighted his own decision to appoint Mar Osthathios as the first full-time Apostolic Visitator for Syro Malankara Catholics throughout Europe. The bishop’s task, Pope Leo said, is “to survey the current state of pastoral care” and propose measures that will serve “the spiritual good of the faithful.”

The pope said he has asked the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches to help formulate guidelines enabling Latin-rite bishops to support Eastern Catholics “in their efforts to preserve their living traditions” and enrich local Catholic communities through “their distinctive witness.”

Faith, family and future generations

Concluding his address, Pope Leo expressed hope that future generations of Syro Malankara Catholics would remain rooted in their traditions while growing closer to Christ.

He praised the Saint Thomas Christian community’s “well-deserved reputation for devout families from which arise many vocations to the priesthood and religious life.” “I pray that strong faith may continue to thrive in your homes and your hearts, particularly in those of the young,” the pope said.

Invoking the intercession of the Virgin Mary, Saint Thomas the Apostle and Venerable Mar Ivanios, Leo encouraged the faithful to “follow Christ ever more closely every day, becoming messengers of hope to all.”

The Syro Malankara Church and the larger Syro Malabar Church are two Eastern-rite Catholic communities based in Kerala, southern India. Both trace their spiritual and historical roots to St. Thomas the Apostle, who, according to ancient tradition, arrived on the Malabar Coast in 52 AD. There he established several churches, and the faithful he gathered became known collectively as the St. Thomas Christians.

Read the pope’s address.