Archbishop Thattil among the Syro-Malabars in the Gulf

The Major Archbishop visiting communities in the region. After a first stop in the northern vicariate, the second in the south between Oman and the United Arab Emirates. Apostolic vicar Msgr. Martinelli: ‘Collaboration “virtue” of the Gulf Church’. Among the unresolved knots mentioned by the prelate is ‘jurisdiction in the Middle East, even if the modalities have not yet been defined’.

Abu Dhabi (AsiaNews) - Appreciation ‘for the Syro-Malabar faithful’ and admiration for ‘their strong faith’ and their ‘assiduous presence at liturgical celebrations’. This was emphasised by Monsignor Paolo Martinelli, Apostolic Vicar of Southern Arabia (United Arab Emirates, Oman and Yemen), as he welcomed His Beatitude Raphael Thattil, the leader of the Syro-Malabar Church, to the parish of Saint Paul in Mascate.

The Major Archbishop is visiting communities in the Gulf countries in recent weeks, starting in the northern vicariate and then moving south to Oman, the first stop on the journey in the southern vicariate.

 ‘Since we have faithful from different Churches sui iuris and from many nations and languages, cooperation among all,’ the bishop emphasised in his welcome address, ’is the most important virtue for our vicariate. In this way, there is a sincere exchange of gifts among our faithful, as recommended by the recent assembly of the Synod of Bishops in Rome on how to be an outgoing synodal Church'.

On 25 November in Mascate, Oman, Msgr. Paolo Martinelli welcomed Rapahel Thattil, Major Archbishop of Ernakulam-Angamaly of the Syro-Malabars and president of the Synod of the Syro-Malabar Church, for his eight-day visit to the vicariate.

Among the most significant moments of this appointment is the Syro-Malabar Day to be held on 30 November at St. Mary's parish in Dubai. An annual event, in which all the members of the community present - there are about 6,000 according to the latest estimates of the local Church - gather for a solemn Eucharistic celebration, followed by convivial moments, cultural programmes, speeches and activities.

‘We welcome his blessedness for this visit to the faithful belonging to the Syro-Malabar Church who live in this parish,’ Monsignor Martinelli continued, wishing ’peace and health. Let us pray for him that, after his recent election as Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Church' he may benefit from the “gift of wisdom for his delicate mission” and, together with him, he addressed a greeting to “all of you, dear Syro-Malabar faithful”.

During his visit to the vicariate of Southern Arabia, the head of the Syro-Malabar Church - which has been troubled for years by a bitter internal clash over the liturgy - went to the parishes of Ruwi and Ghala in Mascate, celebrating the ‘Holy Qurbana’.

Yesterday it was the turn of Salalah, where he met with the local Syro-Malabar community, while today he is scheduled to travel to Abu Dhabi, in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where he will continue his visits to parishes in the Gulf. Previously, Archbishop Rapahel Thattil had travelled to the vicariate of North Arabia (Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain), in an area that for more than two centuries has been a destination for immigration from other nations of the Asian continent, particularly India and the Philippines.

In particular, as far as the Syro-Malabar Church is concerned, the first priest resident in the Gulf mission dates back over 30 years, while today there are about 60 priests scattered throughout the Apostolic Vicariate of Southern Arabia.

Of these, at least 13 are of the Syro-Malabar rite, who devote themselves above all to the pastoral care of the faithful of this rite, without neglecting the goal of unity and belonging to the one Church as desired by the Church leadership, though without renouncing the peculiarities of each rite.

Moreover, at least five Syro-Malabar priests - whose faithful make up about 5% of the total in the Southern Vicariate - head one of the 13 parishes scattered throughout the territory.

Local Church sources emphasise that this is a ‘very important’ visit for the leader of the Syro-Malabar Church, the first visit after his election to the post of Major Archbishop, and represents an occasion of celebration ‘for everyone’ in the Gulf.

Mgr Martinelli spoke of a Church that is ‘unique in the world’ in his speech, echoing the words of Pope Francis in the homily of the mass celebrated in Abu Dhabi during the 2019 apostolic journey. ‘The face of this Church,’ continued the Italian-born prelate, ’is that of the polyphony of faith.

A Church composed of migrants, from over a hundred nations, a Church of pilgrims, always on the move and changing. Since its foundation, the Apostolic Vicariate of Arabia has been open to all the faithful, coming from many countries and from all the different Churches sui iuris’.

Concluding his speech, Bishop Martinelli highlighted the still unresolved aspects between the various souls that characterise the Church of the vicariate, characterised by an ideal of unity in the diversity of its components.

The pope, at the meeting on 13 May, stressed the prelate, ‘verbally granted you jurisdiction in the Middle East, although the modalities have not yet been defined. We know that this is an important step for everyone and we will follow the Holy See's indications. We are certain,‘ he concluded, “that your presence among us is a great gift and blessing for the Syro-Malabar faithful, but also for the vicariate, since we are all called to bear witness to Christ through love and unity among all the disciples, as Jesus prayed, ”that they may be one so that the world may believe’. May the Lord enable us to be his credible witnesses in the world'.