PM Narendra Modi.
Credit: Reuters File Photo
Thiruvananthapuram: Prime Minister Narendra Modi On Wednesday, shared a post on 'X' from the Indian embassy in Lebanon, highlighting the consecration of Mor Gregorious Joseph as the Catholicos of the Jacobite Syrian Christians in India, which took place in Beirut.
An Indian delegation, led by former Union Minister K J Alphons and consisting former Minister of State for External Affairs V Muraleedharan, Lok Sabha MP Benny Behanan, Kottayam district panchayat member Shone George, along with Ambassador Noor Rahman, attended the ceremony held on Tuesday evening.
The post stated that Alphons read out PM Modi's letter on the solemn occasion.
"The Patriach & Catholicos thanked Hon'ble PM for the msg & sending the GOI delegation," it said.
Meanwhile, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan congratulated Gregorious Joseph who will be known as Baselios Joseph I.
"Heartfelt congratulations to His Beatitude Baselios Joseph I on being ordained as the Catholicos of the Jacobite Syrian Christian Church in India. Wish him success in his new role and hope his leadership strengthens the community's efforts for progress and harmony," Vijayan said in a post on 'X'.
The ordination of the 81st Catholicos took place at the Patriarchal Cathedral in Beirut. He succeeded the late Baselious Thomas I, who passed away on October 31 last year.
The ceremony was led by Ignatius Aphrem II, the Patriarch of Antioch and all the East.
The Catholicos is the second-highest authority in the Church after the Patriarch.
A delegation led by Law Minister P Rajeev also represented the Kerala government at the ceremony.