CCA mourns the passing of His Beatitude Catholicos Aboon Mor Baselios Thomas I of the Malankara Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church in India

Programme Review and Programme Direction

Two key deliberative sessions during the 15th CCA General Assembly are the Programme Review and Programme Direction sessions.

The Programme Review and Programme Direction sessions will both be conducted in three groups relating to the CCA’s programme areas, namely, (i) General Secretariat (GS), (ii) Mission in Unity and Contextual Theology (MU) and Ecumenical Leadership Formation and Spirituality (EF); and (iii) Building Peace and Moving Beyond Conflicts (BP) and Prophetic Diakonia (PD).

Assembly participants will have the option to join one of three groups for both the Programme Review and Programme Direction sessions. For the sake of coherence, the assigned group will remain the same for both sessions.

General Secretariat

The General Secretariat oversees the coordination of programmatic, administrative, and financial activities of the organization. The GS comprises various departments such as church and ecumenical relations, relations with ecumenical partners, finance, administration, and communications, which provide crucial support and services for the implementation of programs and contribute to the overall functioning of the CCA.

Programmes: Relations with member churches and councils, ecumenical partners; advocacy at the United Nations; ecumenical responses to emerging issues in solidarity; income development and finance; and communications.

Mission in Unity and Contextual Theology (MU) and Ecumenical Leadership Formation and Spirituality (EF)

Under the MU programme area, the CCA accompanies Asian churches to strengthen their mission and witness in multi-religious contexts, revitalise and nurture church unity and the Asian ecumenical movement, and develop contextual theological foundations.

Programmes: Asian Movement for Christian Unity (AMCU); Congress of Asian Theologians (CATS); Asian women doing theology in the context of wider ecumenism; contextualisation of theology in Asia and ecumenical theological education.

The EF programme area focuses on nurturing and developing ecumenical leaders in Asia. The programme aims to enhance spiritual formation and theological understanding, enabling people to actively engage in ecumenical dialogue and collaboration.

Programmes: Ecumenical Enablers’ Training in Asia (EETA); Asian Ecumenical Institute (AEI); Youth and Women Leadership Development; Ecumenical Spirituality and Nurturing of Contextual Liturgical Traditions; Asia Sunday

Building Peace and Moving Beyond Conflicts (BP) and Prophetic Diakonia and Advocacy (PD)

The BP programme area is dedicated to promoting peace, justice, and reconciliation in Asia’s diverse contexts. Through training, advocacy, and dialogue, the programme addresses the root causes of conflicts, empowers communities, and fosters sustainable peacebuilding initiatives.

Programmes: Pastoral Solidarity Visits; Churches in Action for Moving Beyond Conflict and Resolution; Young Ambassadors of Peace in Asia (YAPA); Ecumenical Women’s Action Against Violence (EWAAV); Eco-Justice for Sustainable Peace in the Oikos.

The PD programme area focuses on promoting justice, human rights, and social transformation in Asia. Through advocacy, capacity-building, and raising awareness, the programme addresses systemic injustice, empowers marginalised communities, and advocates for prophetic actions and meaningful change.

Programmes: Human Rights advocacy; Migration, Statelessness, and Trafficking in Persons; Asian Ecumenical Disability Advocacy Network; Asian Advocacy Network on the Dignity and Rights of Children (AANDRoC); Ecumenical Solidarity Accompaniment and Diakonia in Asia (ESADA); Health and Healing; Good Governance; Action Together to Combat HIV and AIDS in Asia (ATCHAA).

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01 November 2024

Chiang Mai, Thailand: The Christian Conference of Asia (CCA) General Secretary, Dr Mathews George Chunakara, conveyed his deepest condolences on the passing of His Beatitude Catholicos Aboon Mor Baselios Thomas I, the head of the Malankara Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church in India.

After months of treatment for age-related illnesses, the prelate entered eternal rest on 31 October 2024, at the age of 95.

The CCA General Secretary noted that His Beatitude Catholicos Baselios Thomas I was a deeply respected spiritual leader whose life and ministry have been a guiding light for the faithful.

The prelate led the church for over two decades.

Throughout his leadership, His Beatitude ordained approximately 350 priests and 13 bishops and played a pivotal role in the establishment of various educational institutions and hospitals.

“The legacy of a devoted shepherd and spiritual leader, His Beatitude Catholicos Mor Baselios Thomas I, will forever be remembered by multitudes of faithful in the church as well as by the people of Kerala at large”, stated Dr Mathews George Chunakara.

Born as C.M. Thomas on 22 July 1929 in Puthenkurish, Kerala, India, His Beatitude was ordained as a priest in August 1958 and consecrated as Metropolitan with the title “Mor Dionysius” on 24 February 1974 in Damascus, Syria.

On 26 July 2002, at the age of 73, he was consecrated as the Catholicos with the title “Baselios Thomas I”.

The mortal remains of His Beatitude Catholicos Aboon Mor Baselios Thomas I will be kept at Kothamangalam Cheriapally for the public to pay homage.

Later, the remains will be moved to the Bishop’s House at the Patriarchal Centre, where he used to live. He will be interred in a specially constructed tomb at the Patriarchal Centre on Saturday, 2 November 2024.

The full text of the CCA General Secretary’s Condolence Message - HB Baselios Thomas I Catholicos can be found below: