Cardinal Baselios Cleemis

The Holy Episcopal Synod of election of the Syro Malankara Catholic Church was convoked on 7-10 February 2007 at the Catholicate Centre, Pattom, Trivandrum, and elected His Grace Most Rev. Dr.  Isaac Mar Cleemis, the Metropolitan Archbishop of Tiruvalla as the new Major Archbishop-Catholicos of the Syro- Malankara Catholic Church. His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI confirmed the election on 9 February and it was announced on 10 February 2007 at St Mary’s Cathedral, Pattom, Trivandrum.

Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis was enthroned as the Second Major Archbishop-Catholicos of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church and the Major Archbishop of Trivandrum on 5 March 2007 at St Mary’s Cathedral, Pattom. He visited the Holy Father Pope Benedict XVI on 28 May 2007 at Vatican. During the 54th Commemoration of Archbishop Mar Ivanios at St Mary’s Cathedral on Saturday, 14 July 2007, Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis declared Archbishop Mar Ivanios as Servant of God.

Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis Catholicos, was appointed Cardinal by His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI on 24 October 2012 and created him the new Cardinal of the Universal Church in the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church in the Consistory held on 24 November 2012. His Beatitude Moran Mor Baselios Cardinal Cleemis is the first Cardinal of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church and the youngest of the universal Church.