Catholic World News

Synodality is key to ecumenism, Pope tells visitors from Indian church

November 11, 2024

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CWN Editor's Note: Pope Francis met on November 11 with the members of the Synod of the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church, and remarked that the visitors could be a help to the Catholic Church on the “journal of ecumenical synodality.”

While acknowledging that full unity among the Christian churches is a distant goal, the Pontiff told his guests— who were visiting Rome for the first time— that they shared the mission of evangelization. This mission, the Pope added, “is not only the goal of the ecumenical journey; it is also the means.”

The Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church, which traces its foundation to St. Thomas the Apostle, defines itself as “apostolic in origin, universal in nature, Biblical in faith, evangelical in principle, ecumenical in outlook, oriental in worship, democratic in action, and episcopal in character.” The church claims 1.6 million members, mostly located in India’s Kerala state.

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