Posted on 10/26/2012 12:41:19 PM PDT by NYer
Major Archbishop Baselios Cleemis (Isaac) Thottunkal, the head of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church since 2007, has revealed that he learned he would be named a cardinal on October 23, only one day before Pope Benedict made his surprise announcement of a November 24 consistory.
On receiving the letter [from Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone] I straight away went to St. Peters Basilica, to Peters tomb and I knelt down and prayed, the prelate said. And then I spent an hour at the tomb of Blessed John Paul II, who in fact appointed me as bishop in 2001, at the age of 42. Then after praying the rosary there I went to St. Mary Major, this is a place that gives me a lot of consolation, strength and confidence where I can pray unnoticed by anyone.
Recalling the development of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, he said that in 1930 a group of people joined the Catholic Church under the leadership of Archbishop Mar Ivanios, who is also known as the Newman of the East Mar Ivanios had just four people with him, just four. After 82 years, now the Church has over 500,000 faithful, in India, North America, England, and Ireland.
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The JPII effect! What a remarkable story ... from 4 members to +500,000 in only 82 years.
He’ll have to stock up on purple socks.
Why purple?
Here is a "kolpak", worn by the Greek Catholic Church prelates.
And all of these various forms go back to the ancient headgear worn by the Jewish rabbis.
Rabbi with Migbaot
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