Sun Mar 30 14:37:18 UTC 2025: ## New Catholicos Installed in Grand Ceremony
**KOCHI, March 30, 2025** – Catholicos Mor Baselios Joseph I was officially installed as the head of the Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church in India on Sunday in a momentous ceremony attended by thousands. The two-hour event, held at the Puthenkurishu Patriarchal Centre near Kochi, featured a vibrant procession and concluded with a public reception where jubilant cries of “Long Live the Catholicos” filled the air.
Hundreds of priests, 62 bishops, and dignitaries witnessed the installation at St. Athanasius Cathedral. The ceremony included the reading of the Patriarch’s charter of installation by a representative of the Patriarch of the Universal Syrian Orthodox Church, Ignatios Aphrem II. Blessings from the Patriarch were also extended to the Indian faithful and Jacobite followers.
Earlier in the day, Catholicos Joseph I arrived at Cochin International Airport on a chartered flight from Lebanon, where his consecration took place on March 25th. He was greeted with enthusiastic welcomes before proceeding to the Patriarchal Centre to pay respects at the tomb of his predecessor, Baselios Thomas I, who passed away on October 31, 2024.
The Sunthriniso ceremony, a key part of Jacobite tradition, marked the formal presentation of the new Catholicos and the acceptance of his spiritual leadership by the congregation. The procession to the cathedral featured symbolic items such as the cross, Bible, and Patriarchal flag, signifying the transfer of pastoral care.
A public felicitation meeting followed the installation, attended by prominent figures including Union Minister of State George Kurien, Kerala Minister P. Rajeeve, and representatives from other Christian denominations. The event marked the beginning of a new era for the Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church in India.
First Piper 