The 122nd Maramon Convention has honoured the Metropolitan Emeritus of the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church, Philipose Mar Chrysostum, who will be celebrating his 100th birth anniversary on April 27, at a function held at the traditional convention venue on the sand bed of the river at Maramon near Kozhencherry on Saturday.

The supreme head of the Mar Thoma Church, Joseph Mar Thoma, felicitated Mar Chrysostum on behalf of the Church as well as the Maramon Convention which is billed as Asia’s largest week-long annual congregation on the occasion.

The Metropolitan further announced that the new mission project  undertaken by the Mar Thoma Evangelistic Association in Andhra Pradesh would be named after the Metropolitan Emeritus as `Mar Chrysostum Birth Centenary Mission Project’.

Yuyakim Mar Coorilos Episcopa presided the meeting. Bishop Mar Aprem of the Chaldian Church, Cyril Mar Baselius of the Thozhiyur Syrian Christian Church, the Rajya Sabha Deputy Speaker P.J.Kurien, and Mathew T.Thomas, Water Resources Minister, were among those who attended the meeting, besides all bishops of the Mar Thoma Church.

Addressing the congregation, Mar Chrysostum said he firmly believed it as a great privilage and God’s blessings to be a part of the Mar Thoma Church at different stages. “It was nothing but sheer Blessings of the Lord Almighty that has made me what Iam,’’ he said.

Mar Chrysostum invited two children who were sitting in the front row to cut the birthday cake. The Metropolitan Emeritus and the Mar Thoma Metropolitan also shared sweets each other on the occasion.

The renowned evangelist, Lord Griffiths from United Kingdom, delivered the religious discourse on the occasion.

Yuyakim Mar Coorilos Episcopa del  addressed the afternoon session of the Maramon Convention.

The century-old annual Christian retreat will come to a close on Sunday afternoon. The Mar Thoma Metropolitan will deliver the valedictory message.

EOM.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Kerala / by Special Correspondent / Pathanamthitta – February 18th, 2017