Trivandrum (Fides Service) - The announcement that Pope John Paul II raised the sui uiris Syro-Makankara Metropolitan Church to the rank of Major Archdiocese while at the same time raising Archbishop Cyril Baselios Malancharuvil O.I.C., to the dignity of Major Archbishop of Trivandrum of the Syro-Malankarese, India, was welcomed with great rejoicing by Catholics in India. The Syro-Malankara Church is one of three Catholic communities in India which follow different rites the others being the Syro-Malabar rite and the Latin rite. Each rite has its own Conference of Bishops but all three form one Catholic Bishops Conference of India.
The Syro-Malankara Church has a total number of about 600,000 members and four dioceses in India. Archbishop Cyril Baselios is the third Archbishop for the Syro-Malankarese in India, following Archbishops Evanios and Gregorios.
(PA)( Agenzia Fides 18/2/2005 righe 15 parole 180)