The Syro Malabar Church synod held a valedictory function of the silver jubilee celebration of the church attaining the archieprachy status at its headquarters at St Thomas Mount on Saturday, January 13. Louis Raphaël Sako Head of the Chaldean Catholic Church inaugurated a public meeting to be held on the occasion. Apostolic Nuncio to India and Nepal, Archbishop Giambattista Diquattro chaired the meeting.

Head of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church – Archbishop Cardinal George Alencherry, President of the Catholic Bishops’ Council of India (CBCI) and major archbishop of the Syro-Malankara Church – Baselios Cleemis and Secretary of the Congregation for the Oriental Churches Archbishop – Cyril Vasi> spoke on the occasion. Other speakers included Bishop Dr Francis Kallarakkal, Bishop Antony Kariyil, Supreme Court Judge Kurian Joseph , Dr Sibi – Superior General of CMC (Congregation of the Mother of Carmel ) congregation .

Pope John Paul II had on December 16, 1992 signed the decree raising the church as a major archiepiscopal church giving it autonomy in the selection of bishops and of the major archbishop who is the head of the church.

The church currently has 34 dioceses – of which 31 are in India. It serves 5 million followers spread across the globe. Chicago in the United States, Melbourne in Australia and Preston in the United Kingdom are its dioceses outside India.

A total of 59 bishops are participating in the synod, which will end on January 13.