Head of Indian Church coming to Bayside

The new Catholicos of the Malankara (Indian) Orthodox Church, His Holiness Basalios Marthoma Didymus-I, will be touring the United States from June 13 to August 3. Along the way, he will be honored by the American Diocese of the Malankara (Indian) Orthodox Church at Bayside’s Korean Central Presbyterian Church, located at 58-06 Springfield Boulevard, for a reception and meeting on June 17th. Many distinguished religious and political leaders, such as State Senator Frank Padavan and Assemblyman Mark Weprin, will attend this function.
Although Borough President Helen Marshall was unable to attend the event because of a scheduling conflict, she said, “On behalf of the people of Queens, home to America’s most diverse population, I welcome His Holiness Basalios Marthoma Didymus-I, Catholicos of the East. His visit to the United States and especially to Queens County is a singular event that we all celebrate and rejoice in and it reminds us all that this is a worldwide community of faith, established many centuries ago and still growing today. Again, welcome, we are happy to have you among us.”
The Catholicos will be led to the podium by a procession of men and women, dressed in traditional Indian clothes and bearing flags in their hands, including the American Diocesan Metropolitan Mathews Mar Barnabas and Assistant Metropolitan Zacharia Mar Nicholovos.
“It’s going to be a great moment,” said Varghese Pothanicad, the media coordinator of the American Diocese. “It’s a blessing to have him here. The Catholicos doesn’t visit other countries that often. We will give him a warm welcome. It’s a celebration.”
Though Didymus-I had been to the United States before, this is the first time he is visiting this country as the Catholicos. Didymus-I will be the guest of the American Diocese of the Malankara (Indian) Orthodox Church that has about 80 parishes located all over the United States, which the Catholicos plans on visiting.
Didymus-I, the Catholicos of the East, is the 7th successor of the throne of St. Thomas since the Catholicate was reestablished in 1912. His Holiness was born on October 29, 1921 at Mavelikara, Thiruvalla, India. In 1950 he was ordained as a priest, in 1966 consecrated as a bishop, and in 1992 elected as the Catholicos designate. On October 29, 2006 he will assumed the position of the Catholicos at the resignation of the Catholicos, His Holiness Basalios Marthoma Mathews-II.
Starting his service to the Church as a Monk, Didymus-I has been an educator and has worked for the uplifting of the poor and the miserable among the tribes living in the mountain areas of Kerala, India.