Consecration of Holy Mooron held at St Thomas ChurchIn an atmosphere charged with prayers and hymns, the
consecration of myron (holy oil) was held at the ancient St Thomas
Church (Marthoma Cheria Palli) at Kothamangalam on Saturday.
Tens of thousands of Jacobite Church members thronged the church
premises to witness the rare ritual.
Myron, the holy oil, is used to anoint persons receiving baptism by
water. It represents the Gifts of the Holy Spirit.
The ritual, described as ``a great mystery'' in theological circles
and among the Fathers of Churches, was led by Patriarch of Antioch
Mar Ignatius Zakka I. The five-hour-long ritual was also a
proclamation by the Syrian Jacobite Church reaffirming its faith on
the tradition of Antioch.
The consecration of myron was held in two phases. In the first, the
`preparations' prior to the consecration was held. Recalling how John
the Baptist prepared the way for the coming of Jesus Christ, the
deacons and the priests took out a procession around the church.
The second procession consisted of deacons, priests, 12 metropolitans
of the Church and the high priest (the Patriarch) with the holy oil
in his hand.
The second stage of the ritual was the sanctification of the holy oil
by offering special prayers. According to belief, the high priest,
through his prayers, is expected to bring in all the dynamism of the
Holy Spirit to the oil.
After the sanctification of the holy oil, the Patriarch blessed the
world by spraying it in four directions. As a fulfillment of the
sacrament, Holy Qurbana by 13 celebrants was said at a specially set
up 'madbaha' on the church premises.
It is after an interval of 22 years that consecration of Holy Myron
is held in the Malankara Church. The ritual was last performed at
Manarcaud St Mary's church in 1982.
Catholicos Baselios Thomas I assisted the Patriarch in leading the
ritual.
Joseph Mar Gregorios, Yoohanon Mar Philexinos, Geevarghese Mar
Policarpus, Thomas Mar Thimotheos, Kuriakose Mar Euliyos, Marcose Mar
Coorilos, Mathews Mar Evanios, Gheevarghese Mar Dionysius, Kuirakose
Mar Deoscorus, Geevarghese Mar Athanasius, Yoohanon Mar Milithios,
Kuriakose Mar Theophilos and Kuriakose Mar Sevarios were the
metropolitans who participated in the consecration.
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