Mons. Gallagher, Vatican Responsible for Foreign Relations, visits India

Archbishop Mons. Paul Richard Gallagher, secretary for relations with the states and international organizations of the Holy See, has been on an official visit to India from Sunday 13 to Saturday, July 19.

As reported by the Holy See, the main objective of the trip is to “consolidate and reinforce the ties of friendship and collaboration between the Holy See and the Republic of India.”

One of the most significant moments of the trip was the participation on July 15 at the ceremony for the 72nd anniversary of the death of the venerable servant of God Geevarghese Thomas Panickaruveetil Mar Ivanios, pioneer of ecumenism in India and first bishop of the Catholic Church Siro-Malankara.

As reported by the Secretary of State through its official account in X, Mons. Gallagher was accompanied by Cardinal Baselios Cleemis, Major Archbishop of Trivandrum of the Siro-Malankares, along with other bishops of the Eastern Church.

From Trivandrum, diocese that was pastoralized by the venerable sea Ivanios, Mons. Gallagher remarked the inheritance “more current than ever” left by the Indian prelate, declared venerable by Pope Francis in March 2024.

Who was the venerable sea Ivanios?

Mar Ivanios was born on September 21, 1882 in Mavelikara, in the current state of Kerala (India), in a family belonging to the Orthodox Malankara Church.

He was ordained a priest in 1908 and was soon recognized as an outstanding theologian and educator. After being consecrated bishop in the Orthodox Malankara Church, he undertook a path of search of the unity of Christians that took him, in 1930, to embrace the Catholic faith.

This is how the Catholic Church Siro-Malankara, one of the Catholic Eastern Churches was born independentwhich retains the western antioquene rite. Subsequently, he was appointed first major archbishop of Trivandrum, from where he promoted the ecumenical dialogue.

That the unity “is not uniformity, but communion”

Mons. Gallagher highlighted in particular the courage of this Indian, on the way to the altars, who in 1919 founded the congregations of the imitation order of Christ Bethany Ashram and the sisters of the imitation of Christ Bethany Madhom.

In the light of his testimony, Archbishop Gallagher appealed that the unity “is not uniformity, but communion: a harmony that respects diversity, promoting love and reciprocal understanding.”

He also stressed his “deep spiritual and ecclesial statement on the unity of all Christians, rooted in the person of Jesus”, while indicating that the unity should not impose itself with force, but must be born “from the heart of the Gospel.”

From India, Mons. Gallagher asked to look “beyond our differences” and urged to seek “the common terrain of faith in Christ”, to “build bridges where he guides us: in our families, parishes, schools and societies, cultivating reconciliation and peace.”

In this context, he warned that living faith with authenticity may sometimes require “difficult decisions and accept sacrifices”, in order to be “brave witnesses of Christ.” He also stressed that education has the power to fully transform the person.

Remembering that prayer was the authentic foundation in the life of the venerable Indian, he stressed that each believer “is called to be the architect of peace, bridge builder and witness of the Gospel”, without losing sight of the fact that true unity also requires justice and compassion towards those who suffer.

This Thursday, July 17, Mons. Gallagher met in New Delhi with the Indian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, for – according to the Secretariat of State in the Social Network X – “reinforce the relations between the parties.”

Among the issues discussed “were the cultural and religious heritage of India and the promotion of regional peace,” said the State Secretariat.