Major archbishop of Syro-Malankara Church dies unexpectedly

Published: 2007-01-19

BANGALORE, India (CNS) -- Catholics in India mourned the death of Archbishop Cyril Baselios Malancharuvil of Trivandrum, the major archbishop of the Syro-Malankara Church, who was known for promoting unification of the Indian Catholic Church's various rites. The archbishop died unexpectedly Jan. 18 at the age of 71 after suffering a heart attack. Referred to commonly as Archbishop Baselios, he was a member of the Order of the Imitation of Christ. Pope Benedict XVI expressed his condolences, describing Archbishop Baselios' death as a "great loss" to the church. The Catholic Bishops' Conference of India, of which Archbishop Baselios was president from 2000 to 2004, said he "was well respected in the entire Indian church for his wisdom, foresight and integral vision." The conference includes bishops from all three rites -- Latin, Syro-Malankara and Syro-Malabar -- that make up the Catholic Church in India. The Syro-Malankara Church has 500,000 Catholics in two archdioceses and four dioceses.

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