Election of successor put off

KOCHI: The election of a successor to Catholicos Baselios Thomas I, head of the  Jacobite Syrian Christian Church is likely to be delayed with Patriarch Ignatius Zakha Iwas asking the Church authorities not to think of electing a new head for the Church for the time being as the matter was not discussed at the recently concluded synod of the Church.“Finding out a successor to the 84-year-old Catholicos was one of the agenda of the synod which was held at Patriarch Centre, Puthencruz, from May 21 to 23. The e-mail message of the Patriarch came just before the synod commenced,” said sources close to the leadership of the Church.Though Catholicos Baselios Thomas I had reportedly expressed his willingness to retire from administrative responsibilities, a section of the bishops, metropolitans and Church organisations were of the opinion that the Catholicos should continue at a time when the Church was facing crisis. “There was a message from the Patriarch not to consider the matter now,” confirmed Metropolitan Joseph Mar Gregorios, who is also the synod secretary.“The reason cited in the message  is that the  Church has no tradition of electing its head when the Catholicos is alive,” he said. Mar Gregorios also denied reports that a successor tom the Catholicos would be elected. “They are only baseless speculations. The Church will move on by upholding its tradition,” he said.