Malankara Orthodox Church—Indian Orthodox Church -well schemed Palace Coup

1)                  It was very painful to see the sad end of the lamented HH the  Catholicose on 12th July  and the  funeral  supervisions  etc held on 13th  July. He deserved a better deal of farewell by any yardstick as  he  was a simple,  rustic, nice   village  soul and affable to millions and to the  marginalized who  are in agony  regardless of  caste  color  or creed, judged by his benevolence and magnanimity. Both  at Parumala and Devalokam  the funeral arrangements  were  good taking into consideration the  covid-19  pandemic situation.

2)            The condolence messages poured in  from the world over including the  spiritual and  secular leaders like HH  Pope Francis, HH Patriarch of  Antioch ,HH  Russian Patriarch, HH    Bartholomew the  economical  Patriarch ;  US  President  Mr.  Joe Biden, Hon President of  India,  Hon  PM of  India and a  host of  dignitaries from within the  country and   abroad, mostly facilitated  by  HG  Zachariah  Nicholvas  is  commendable  to show us  our  Catholicose was  a world  respected  leader of  some  values and moral authority.

         While  praying  for heavenly  eternal rest  for  our   departed  father, let us  strive  to foster unity and  vision  for the  church now. The  church needs  now than ever, unity in  action and vision. Let us recall the old saying, divided   we fall, united  we  prosper.

Soul Searching Questions–Options

a)      Did  we  conduct the funeral  service  with  dignity, respect   for  the  hitherto followed  traditions, and solemnity is  the moot  question in introspection. Under the  present  coivid-19  restrictions the  government  of Kerala  was more  than forthcoming to  facilitate  it as  peoples  function and the  large  participation by the  officials and  the  ministers including the   Governor was  a big  testimony to it.

b)      Both at  Parumala and  Devalokam, one  could    see  the total absence of sane  considerations of  the time  honored  traditions of the  church and  the deliberate avoidance  of the   guru like  older  priests like  Rev TJ Joshua , Rev PC Cherian,  Rev O Thomas, Rev Jacob Kurian, and very  many others.

c)      It was not  supposed  to be a show  of the  power of lungs  while singing  songs, hymns   etc as  if  to  make good  Bava’s lost  lung  power (Bava died  due  to lung cancer as his lung was not at all normal  for nearly 28 weeks).

d)       What  we need  is a  solemn  function in readings and   singing. It  is meant  for the  occasion. Please  know  for certain,  one  size  does not  fit  in liturgy. You open  widely the lung  power  for  weddings,  funeral and even for  child  baptism–  do  you have  any semblance of propriety at all. Look at the  Anglicans or  the Russian –Greek-  Slovakian  funerals of the  Orthodox   fraternity to learn better  lessons in observing  solemnity and serenity according  to the  occasions. At best  take  advice  from Rev  Dr.  MP  George, who is a  doyen  of music  ministry.

e)      I am not  a fan  of  any  bishop or  group in the  church  politics. Let  us  be more  professional in our  outlook and  approach.  We need  to be more  objective. If we  respect  orthodoxy as our creed, let us  go by the traditions well  established  from time immemorial .

d)       Why is  that  the  website  page  seniority  shown  was  given  a  miss  in the  funeral by hijacking  the  time honored  traditions? Is to  suit the  sordid vested interests  of some one  who wants  to usurp the  chair of the  Malankara Metropolitan and  Catholicose?

e)      Why the   Priest Trustee was  slighted  by the  master of ceremony? Is it  part of a  grand design to  slight every one? Was he only  to  express  the  condolence of the  church as  done by the  sawmyjee  of  Shantigiri Trivadnrum? Why  did   we  go out of the way  to express vote  of thanks  to  one Jojo and family even out of context  by Adv  Biju  Ommen?

e)      Why readings were   not assigned  to the most   deserving   respected  bishops  like  Anthasious , Gabriel,  Anthonius, to mention a few  notable  names? Incidentally  Athanasius   is  the senior  most as I checked the website  even now!

f)      The palace coup was   very well schemed, plotted ,designed and  executed. They outsmarted William Shakespeare. My special  congratulations  to the  master of ceremony and his masters.

g)      The  condolence  oration by  our most respected self-appointed  Catholicose   was  fantastic as it was mostly  from the  so called last bull  number  136 of  our  diseased  Bava thirumnei!  Whether  our   Bava  was  healthy enough to  even to  sign that  bull is  a  question to  be  investigated  by   people  of integrity so is  the  will of  Bava,  if any  left behind. It seems  by  camping  at  Parumala,  we did  get time  to  manufacture  all  such  clandestine documents to be assigned to the name  of  our  Bawa, as  he  was no  more capable of  defending for  himself. Even  the date  of  declaration of his death  was pre-determined  to  coincide   with  the passing away  of  Pulikottil  Thirumeni on 12 th July. What a  wonderful  management  decision by design. I salute  such schemers in our  church higher ups. Are  we really  the  Church  of God or  a  crowd of  devils servants?

            Let us recall the   most unfortunate incident  of the  40 th day of  the death  observation of the lamented  Pachomius  Thirumeni decades ago and the  Kaimouth  received  from  7500  plus  people  was  officially  only  as Rs   3000 plus. Where  did  the  remaining  Rs  three  lakhs  plus  disappear ? This  shows the integrity of the  people in high offices of the  church now   boast  of  transparency and honesty , even while  running around  America   etc with    begging bowls for  various  charity.

3)      Let us hope  and pray  that God  almighty  would bless this Church, if it  is the body  of  Christ. If there is   a  living  God,  I am  sure he  would intervene for  certain.

Dr.  KM George

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