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Message from Rev. Dr. Varghese P. Manikat, Archdiocesan Secretary
MALANKARA ARCHDIOCESE OF
THE SYRIAN ORTHODOX CHURCH IN NORTH AMERICA
(Under the Holy Apostolic Throne of Antioch and All the East)
10 Stonehurst Court, Pomona, NY 10970. Tel: 845-364-6003
In the book of Hebrews Chapter 11 verse 5 we read “By faith Abel offered unto
God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he
was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh”.
Praying to saints and asking for their prayers has always been a strong
foundation in the life of a Jacobite Christian. While praying we humble
ourselves, shelving our ego, in front of God and all our fellow being and
remind, thus, ourselves our own vulnerability and weakness. When we are weak we
need strength. This strength comes from the God Almighty. We need to ask for
that through prayer. And we need prayers of everyone as we need abundant
blessings. We need the prayer of all saints as they keep speaking for us,
pleading for us, interceding for us unceasingly.
St. Basil was born and named Yeldho to H’dai family in the village of Koodaid
presently known as Karkosh near Moosul. He spent his time in the Monastery of
Mor Behanan located near Koodaid and led a dedicated spiritual life and spent
most of his time in the study praying and working for the growth of the mother
Church. He was instrumental in the renovation of the monastery in 1660. After
his enthronement in 1662 as the Maphrian (Catholicose) of the east he worked
very hard to establish a center for the seat of Catholicose. In the year
1672-1673 he made the monastery of Mor Mathai the seat of the Catholicose of the
East. Mor Baselios Yeldho participated in the lead role when His Holiness the
Patriarch Moran Mor Ignatius Abdaid Messiah consecrated the Holy Mooron in 1684
at Mardin. It was after this, the pure spirit had the vision on the basis of the
information gathered from one of the faithful from Malankara who attended the
Holy Mooron Consecration about the Malankara Church and decided to travel to
Malankara in the year 1685.
According to the records kept by the Chelad Family, one of the old families in
the area, Kothamagalam was established as a business center in the year 1338 as
there were merchants coming all the way from Madras. In the year 1340 Chingam 15
a cross was installed in the name of Mother Mary, which is now the Marthamariam
Valiyapally. A cross was installed in 1451 Dhanu 18 at the location where the
MarThoman Cheriapally is erected later. Baseliose Bawa arrived at the
Cheriapally in 1685 Kanni 7th He passed away on Kanni 19th Saturday at about
3.00 p.m. From that time on St. Basil’s blessed memory has been celebrated from
Kanni 12 through 20 every year.
People of all walks of life, irrespective of their religious practice, throng
the Church and its vicinity to dedicate their offerings of various kinds and
receive blessings. Prayers are answered and miracles happen. On behalf of the
Archdiocese, I take this opportunity to congratulate every one of you who work
hard to make the dream of Cleveland Jacobites a reality. Let us be united in
prayer so that this worship center will grow to a full-fledged congregation and
a Parish Church in the near future.
Prayerful regards,
Rev. Dr. Varghese P. Manikat
Archdiocesan Secretary
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