Vatican City: Major Archbishop of the Syro Malabar Church, Mar Raphael Thattil, met His Holiness Pope Leo XIV at the Vatican on Monday morning. The meeting took place at 10 am and lasted for about one hour.
Mar Joseph Pamplany, Secretary of the Syro Malabar Synod of Bishops, and Mar Stephen Chirappanath, Major Archbishop’s Procurator in Rome, were also present during the meeting.
During the discussion, Major Archbishop expressed the deep gratitude of the Syro-Malabar Church to the Holy Father for several important decisions taken in recent months. These include the creation of four new ecclesiastical provinces outside Kerala, permission for an Apostolic Visitation in the Gulf region, and approval for the reorganisation of the boundaries of twelve dioceses. He noted that these steps have brought new hope and strength to the global Syro Malabar faithful and have strengthened the Church’s missionary mission.
Pope Leo XIV warmly recalled the long and meaningful contributions of the Syro Malabar Church to the Universal Church and its missionary outreach. He also spoke of his personal closeness to the Church and fondly remembered his earlier visits to Kerala.
Major Archbishop also briefed the Holy Father on the present situation in the Archeparchy of Ernakulam-Angamaly. He explained the ongoing efforts to restore peace and unity through dialogue, patience, and mutual understanding. After listening attentively, Pope stressed the importance of cooperation by the faithful, priests, and religious with the steps being taken to safeguard communion within the Church.
As part of the Vatican visit, the Major Archbishop and the Synod Secretary met with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State of the Holy See, and Cardinal Claudio Gugerotti, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches. They also held discussions with the heads of several Vatican departments, thanking them for their continued support and cooperation in matters concerning the Syro Malabar Church.