29.07.2019
Archbishop of Dublin Visits the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church in India
Archbishop Michael Jackson is currently visiting the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, also known as the Indian Orthodox Church. The church is based in the Indian state of Kerala and during his visit the Archbishop will worship in a number of parishes. He will also attend a number of presentations and talks.
This is the first of his accounts from his visit.
On Sunday the Archbishop worshipped in one of the oldest parishes in Cheripally, Kottayam, in the Orthodox Tradition with the people, the clergy and the bishop.As Kottayam stands on the historic Silk Road, the church shows a range of international architectural influences down the centuries, European, Chinese and Islamic. It is dedicated to St Mary. It has very ancient wall paintings on the north and south sides of the sanctuary depicting the fall of Adam and redemption through the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ The Gospel was St Mark 3.20–30 where the family of Jesus express their anxiety about his overwork and the stress that it causes to them and to others; the Scribes are more forthright and describe him as being possessed by Beelzebub.
The Archbishop spoke of the reality of stress in the lives of everyone and encouraged the congregation, through prayer and through focus on self–care and on the person of Jesus where possible, to consider ways of using and harnessing stress as an energy and putting it to good and powerful purpose. He went on to speak of the sin against the Holy Spirit, as had St Mark. He encouraged those present to take up the invitation of St Paul: the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace and to be children of God who live in the Spirit, walk in the Spirit and work in the Spirit During the afternoon, the Archbishop participated in a seminar on Mission in Perspective in Sopana Theological Academy, Njaliakuzhy, Kottayam. He was able to speak on the contribution of the Church of Ireland to India through mission at the seminar.
Day 2 – Monday July 29
Following the opportunity to discuss aspects of mission shared in common between the Indian Orthodox and the Anglican traditions, there was a chance to see something both of the history of Christianity in Kerala and of the contemporary mission of the Indian Orthodox Church in the Kerala region.
St Mary’s, Niranam, is one of the oldest churches founded by St Thomas the Apostle of India. There is evidence of four churches in succession on the site including the present church. When the Archbishop arrived, a baptism was in full low and he was invited by the parents to bless the child during the baptism as they made their way to the font which dates from at least the tenth century.
Next there was a visit to the shrine of St Gregorius of Parmala where a stunning modern icon written by the Archbishop’s host radiates from the sanctuary wall. There he met Mr Sushant Agrawal, Director of the Church’s Auxiliary for Social Action, a member of ActAlliance, whose sister runs an outstanding facility for creative arts for young people with disabilities in Ranchi which the Archbishop had visited when he went to North India with the Dublin University Mission to Chota Nagpur two years ago. Like Ireland, India is a small world!St Gregorius was renowned as a healer and the next visit was to a hospital specialising in the diagnosis and treatment of cancers while also providing more general medical services. The hospital is dedicated to St Gregorius and is supported entirely by church donations as a private hospital offering its services both free of charge and at a very low cost by voluntary donations by members of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church to those of any faith tradition or culture.
The opportunity to talk both to the director of the hospital and the chaplain along with specialists in oncology gave an insight not only in to the treatments offered but the educational camps provided throughout the community irrespective of class or faith. This is a living and working example of the contemporary mission of the church in the complex world of today where in India, as in Ireland, lifestyle is playing larger and larger recognised role in cancer itself. From there the Archbishop was brought to meet members of Salem Bhaban, an ashram whose members are destitute and challenged by a variety of psychological needs and ailments. The saddest thing for them is that living directly with their families in their communities is no longer possible while they are ill. The ashram seeks to enable them, through the application of best of contemporary psychological care and active community life, to work towards return to family life; and family members are able to visit on a regular basis. There was a profound sense of the dignity of the human person both as an individual and as a valued member of the community of the ashram. It was also clear that there was a strong ethic of trust between the members and the staff.
The priest who led the community had worked for four years in CTBI (Churches Together in Britain and Ireland) in London before returning to India. He had expected to write and to teach but his Bishop had pointed him in this direction of servant–leadership and he had never regretted it. The Archbishop met a priest working in a local parish and lecturing part–time in the seminary in Nagpur, the home of CNI (Church of North India) who had for seven years been in Dublin and studied liturgy in Maynooth.
The Archbishop had lunch with the members of the ashram and prayed with and for the community in the chapel which is adorned with icons written in the West Syrian style.