KOTTAYAM: Catholicos Elect Paulose Mar Milithios has set the first tent pole for the huge tent being eructed for consecration of Metropolitans on Thursday, April 29, 2010. Consecration ceremony will be on Wednesday, May 12, 2010.
Secretary to the Holy Episcopal Synod, Dr. Mathews Mar Severios, vicar, Mar Elia Cathedral, Kottayam, Fr. Mohan Joseph, Fr. Mathew Koshy, Fr. M.C. Kuriakose, Fr. Youhanon John, Fr. Prof. K.V. Paulose, Fr. Saibu M. Zachariah, Dn. Thomas George, Malankara Managing Committee Members, Prof. Jacob Kurien Onattu and A. K. Thomas, Trustees of Mar Elia Cathedral Babuji George and Shibu Varghese, Secreatry, MEC, Babu G. Mathew, Members of Municipal Council, Kottayam S. Gopakumar, Kuruvilla Jacob, Giby John, Raveendran, and a large number of faithful attended the function.
25000 faithful can watch the consecration live from inside the tent, which will be spread over a total area of 45,000 square feet in front of the Cathedral. The tent will extend to the Baselius College ground too. Short Circuit TV will be set and the budget for the whole preparations will be 2 million Rupees.
More than 10,000 vehicles are expected and parking is prepared at Lourde Forona Church ground, M.T. Seminary School ground and Jerusalem Marthoma Church ground. Vehicles of Metropolitans can park at M.D. Seminary High School ground. There will be shuttle buses from parking lots to the venue of consecration.
“It is an occasion of delight that once again a Metropolitan Consecration comes to Kottayam, the centre of Malankara Orthodox Church. It is all the more an occurrence of happiness that this consecration will take place at the M.D. Seminary Campus, the sacred place that witnessed many important moments of Malankara Church history from 1953 onwards”, stated Fr. Mohan Joseph.
Chor Episcopos C.J. Punnose, Fr. Abraham Korah, Fr. C.O. George, Fr. K.M. Isaac, Fr. P.A. Philip, Fr. Mathew Koshy, Fr. M.C. Kuriakose, Fr. Youhanon John, Fr. Prof. K.V. Paulose, and Fr. Saibu M. Zachariah are to chair different committees. Dn. Thomas George, K. John Cherian, Prof. John Joseph, Mamman P. Thomas, P.C. Abraham, Thomas Mathai, K.C. Chacko, Eapen K. Oommen, Sabu P. Thomas, Adv. Kuruvilla Jacob, Shiju Thomas, and P.C. Varghese will serve as conveners to various committees.
More than 500 members are working hard under 11 different committees to make the event memorable. There will be a ‘Volunteer Force’ that comprises more than 500 members to regulate the activities on consecration day.
A Central Committee is also formed for the smooth conduct of the event. Fr. Mohan Joseph will act as the General Convener. Prof. Jacob Kurien Onattu, Prof. Mathew Jacob, A. K. Joseph, Babu G. George, Shibu Varghese, Prof. Babu G. Mathew, Alexander Oommen, and Prof. John Joseph are the members of the Central Committee.