CARDINAL VITHAYATHIL LAID TO REST

KAKKANAD, 14 Apr, 2011Redirected by Chev. Prof. George Menachery

Tens of thousands of mourners bid a tearful farewell to Cardinal Varkey Vithayat
hil, Major Archbishop and head of the Syro-Malabar Church on 10 April 2011.
The 84-year-old cardinal, who died of a heart attack on April 1 in Ernakulam, Ko
chi, Kerala, was interred with full state honors at the city’s St. Mary’s Basilica t
he Cathedral.of the Archdiocese of Ernakulam Angamaly. Archbishop Cyril Vasil, s
ecretary of the Congregation for Oriental Churches, represented Pope Benedict XV
II at the funeral as the Vatican s Delegate.
Bishops from the Latin and Syro-Malankara Catholic rites, other Christian denomi
nations, priests and Religious, also attended the funeral, making up tens of tho
usands of mourners.
Nitin Gadkari, president of the Hindu right wing Bharatiya Janata Party, union
minister Vayalar Ravi, Congress leader Oscar Fernandes, several state ministers
and other senior politicians were also present.
The ceremonies started at 3:30 p.m. with a requiem Mass led by Bishop Bosco Puth
ur, the interim administrator of the Syro Malabar Church.
The cardinal’s body was then taken out in a procession before his return to the ca
thedral for the funeral Mass and his interment in the sanctum of the St. Mary s
basilica.
The cardinal’s last journey started the day before from Little Flower Hospital, An
gamaly when his body was taken to St. Thomas Mount, Kakkanad, headquarters of th
e SMC, 40km away, and then to the basilica where people paid their last respects
.
During the funeral orations, Catholic Bishops’ Conference of India President Cardi
nal Oswald Gracious said Cardinal Vithayathil was a man full of faith, peace and
devotion. “We have to carry forward his vision by following his footsteps.”
Condolence messages from Indian President Pratibha Patil and Prime Minister Manm
ohan Singh were also read out.
There was a night vigil attended by intimate associates and relatives.