Wedding Jubilee @ 50 A ” Holy Week ” in July.
For our family, it was, indeed, a very holy Week in July. Anu and me spent our actual 50th Wedding Anniversary day on the 4th of June more in prayer than in celebration as Smitha and Alex wished to have it as a Family Event when they too will be here for their annual holidays in July. On June 4th Seena and Tony gave us company and we confined it to a simple cake cutting ceremony then.
On Smitha’s arrival on holidays, Seena and Smitha fixed July 30th as the ” victory day” and organised with Tony and Alex a Family Meet in the St.Thomas College Church auditorium as a Thanksgiving Event, extending the circle to some of my senior friends and close associates, including those with me as my personal secretaries in the MGU and in Delhi during my official days, besides a few of my disciples, mainly the researchers who took their PhD with me during my active academic days. But we were pressed to restrict the number to the minimum, on the warning of our family doctor in the backdrop of the risk for a repeat of the pandemic through gatherings and crowds. Truly we wished to have had more of our friends and relations to charm and cheer us up on the Golden Meet of our 50th Year.
However, the week before the JubileeMeet proved truly a week holy, with showers of blessings by the visits of the Spiritual Prelates to our humble abode, by praying over us, and also conveying their love and greetings, reaffirming how much they all keep us close and dear to their hearts. The week of blessings commenced with the visit of the revered Latin bishop of Kochi, Dr Joseph Kariyil who happen to be a great friend of mine from his POC days as its director. His Lordship was a director different, very unassuming, simple, warm and loving. He prayed and blessed us with his inimitably disarming simple style. It was a very pleasant surprise.
The day next was, glittering with a morning visit of His Eminence Cardinal Cleemis Bava and our own Bishop Mar Kallarangatt, on their way to Bharananganam St.Alphonsa Shrineas the Cardinal was to celebrate the mid-day Pontifical Raza there as part of the Alphonsa Feast. As usual, Thirumeni made everyone around cheerful and laugh with his words and wit and with his narration of stories and events. On our request Bava and the Bishop graciously joined us for breakfast, prayed over us turning to the east as per the oriental ritual and custom of the 
Eastern Churches, spending more than an hour and a half and leaving after imparting their paternal blessings. It was a truly wonderful and blessed day.
On the 27th evening, Anu and me were on an At Home to the colleagues and the Staff of the Palai Civil Service Institute, where I serve as Director and Academic Dean. Smitha, Alex and my granddaughter Emma were with us. The FounderManager, Fr. Philip Njaralakkatt, Manager and V.G.Dr Sebastian Vethanath and Fr. Alappattumedayil and Fr Ettuparayilhonoured us with their presence, besidesPrincipal Dr Geaorgekutty, AssociatePrincipal Dr Mathew Joseph, Vice- Principal Dr Baby Thomas and the Members of the Faculty and our adm and non-teaching staff. Vice-Principal of the St.Thomas College, Dr Davis Xavier graciously represented my alma mater, where I was a student from PUC to PG for 7 years and then as a teacher for 31 years, till I moved to the University. Dr Mathew Joseph with whom I share the same day, month and year for Birthday, made a word of toast as the one and the only one present there, having attended our Wedding 50 years before. He made it wonderful with his inimitable wit and humour.
On the 28th, Major Archbishop and cardinal Mar George Alenchery visited on his way back from Bharananganamafter being the main celebrant of the final day of the Alphonsian Feast.. It also happened to be Tony’s birthday. We were fortunate to have with us His Grace Dr Theodosius Marthoma Metropolitan,the Supreme Head of the Marthoma Church, which was my mother’s Mother Church. Our Valia Pithavu, the Cardinal and the Marthoma Metropolitan were so loving and gracious to jointly make the prayer and the blessings and stayed back with us for tea and some light refreshments since the Cardinal had to get back to Ernakulam and the Metropolitan to reach Tiruvallabefore it was late.
The Cardinal was evidently happy that two of his young “old fans” and trusted associates and my close disciples, Dr Stany Thomas and Dr Sabu de Mathew were also there, besides my brothers and sisters in Palai. Cardinal expressed his happiness and joy on the elevation of Dr Stany as a Member of the State PSC.
On the next morning Mar Sebastian Vaniyappurackal, the Curia Bishop of the Syro-Malabar Church made a flying visitto pray over us and bless me and Anuwith a very warm personal prayer. Ourfriendship with him go back to the daysMar Vaniyappurackal was a very vibrant and young priest in Kanjirappally. He is the same, then and now, inimitably simple and genuinely unpretentious, as a priest and as a bishop.Praise the Lord.
In the evening we were blessed and honoured by the visit of His Holiness Marthoma Mathews Thrutheeyan Bavaof Devalokam, the Supreme Head of the Orthodox Church.
A great scholar and Theologian, Bava Thirumeni was the unanimous choice of the Synod of the Church as the Catholicos, on the untimely demise of his predecessor, Marthoma Poulose Dwitheeyan Bava of Blessed Memory. Mathews Bava is rated stern and bold, simple and deeply spiritual, who always speaks straight from his heart. What has been noticed is that Mathews Bava has prudently took his caution and care not to hurt anyone by his words or deeds, even on live issues in Church-related matters since Thirumeni was elected the Head of the Church. Our bishop, Mar Joseph Kallarangat was present on the occasion as the Bava and the Bishop were together in Rome for their Theological higher studies. Very Rev Dr T.J.Joshua Achan, Bava’s Guru; and Palai’s Vicar General Very Rev.Dr. Joseph Thadathil; Secretary of the Care and Share Trust and Fr T.J. Joshua Foundation, Fr Thomas Kurian Achan; and one of my trusted disciples and a Young Turk in the Orthodox Youth ranks, George Jacob Kattappana were also present during Bava Thirumeni’s visit. Joshua Achan prayed in his inimitable style and Bava imparted his loving 
blessings and benediction. Bava and Mar Kallarangatt were gracious to stay back with us for dinner though Bava had to be in Parumala the night itself. It was truly an unforgettable spiritual feel and experience for every one of us. Our love 
and thanksto H.H.Mathews Bava Thirumeni and Mar Kallarangatt Pithavu.
On the final day of the week, the 30th Saturday I received in the morning a message from London, conveying the greetings and blessings of His Grace Dr Joseph Mor Gregorios Thirumeni, the Metropolitan Trustee of the Jacobite Syrian Church. Shri Thampu Thukalan, one of the senior leaders of the Laity and a long-time friend of our family also conveyed his greetings as he was accompanying His Beatitude Shrestta Bava to the hospital for Bava’s routine medical check-up. Thampu had promised me to convey my love and prayers to Shreshtta Bava Thirumeni and our wish to seek Bava’s blessings in person. H.G.Mor Gregorios Thirumeni promised me to visit Palai once the Metropolitan is back from abroad. Our close family friend CSI Bishop. Dr Oommen George Thirumeni conveyed his greetings and blessings much in advance as he had to leave for the Lambeth Conference of the bishops of the Anglican Church two days before.
On the 30th evening, the Golden jubileePrayer Fellowship commenced withthe Lighting of the Lamp by our Valia Pithavu, the 95 year old Mar Joseph Pallikkaparampil, the senior most church prelate and a Living Legend amongst the bishops, in the presence of Bishop Mar Kallarangatt delivering the Opening Address in his inimitable style of oratory. Bishop showered his love and blessings on both of us and on our parents and our family. Bishops were accompanied by Vicar General Dr. Jose Maleparampil,Chancellor Rev.Dr Kakkallil and the Corporate Manager Berchmans Achan who as chaplain of the Marian hospital imparted last rites to our dear mother (Mrs R.V.) with his consoling prayers three decades back. Ever since Achan has remained dear and close to our R.V.Family. The Vicar of St.Thomas Church Pullukalayil Achan and Kochachan were so nice and good and gracious in placing the auditorium and its facilities at our disposal to make the Meet pleasant. Shri P.J..Joseph MLA said the words of toast. I was privileged to work with him as Pro-Vice-Chancellor Kerala University and to serve as Vice-Chancellor in MGU, Kottayam and in CUSAT, Kochi while he was Minister of Education in the Nayanar Cabinet.Dr K.K.Jose, representing my disciples spoke generosity, showering his words of praise on me and teacher in his sweet and touching style of oratory in poetic prose. My long-time senior friend Dronacharya Prof.Sunny Thomas spoke with his usual humour in the presence of his wife, Prof Jossamma who was my PG batch mate in the Palai College. My elder son-in-law Tony read the deeply touching letter of my friend from college days and the Celebrity Writer, Sakkara, while my grandson Evan read the Message of f Ambassador Siby George IFS (Kuwait), my devoted student from Pre-degree to PG in Pol. Science in the College.Our senior most friends, Thomas.T. John Sir, M.K.Pothachayan ( Kuwait), Ravi Thomas Sir (Sharja) etc honoured us with their families as their gesture of love and goodwill.
I am unable to mention all those who blessed and honoured us by their loving presence.However, I was deeply touched when Boban and Manoj, my personal secretaries while I was in MGU came all the way to Palai, one from Malabar, and the other from Dubai. My secretary in Delhi, Jinit was with me in full time though Sreehari Kartha and Mijoyin were in UK.Nikhil was the full timer behindthe whole event. My trusted lieutenant Jomon was away in Mumbai,to see off his wife to Israel. Jobi was there althrough as also Anto, Sabu and Titto . . We missed Kannan as he could n’t come from Dubai.. One of my very dear students, Rajesh Kaimal came home with a beautiful statue of Lord Jesus and was also there with me in the Hall till the last guest left.Other two young friends, Suraj and Fenix also made their presence felt on that cold rainy evening.!
While my eldest sister Rev.Maria Teresa joined us in prayer from her Mysore Carmel, my elder brother George Thomas joined us in spirit from Texas(USA), my younger sister Prof.Annie Joy spoke nicely on Anu and me, on behalf of the family. Bishop Auxiliary of Palai,Jacob Murickan Pithavu presented beautiful shawls to both of us, also delivering the Valedictory address and words of final Benediction.Anu’s family was represented by Molly Antony and Mareena Mathew, her sisters-in-law from Udayamperoor with Anu’s youngest nephew there, Jose as the rest are currently abroad. elder nephew John’swife, Theresa came all the way from UAE. Anu’s sister Kunjumol (Alleppey) with her son Prashanth (Dubai) came a day before, as my co-brother Oommachan Elengickal was indisposed.
My elder daughter Seena beautifully anchored the programme and welcomed the guests while my younger one, Smitha nicely organised the songs and dance variety programmes of the new gen group on the stage. Alex made his words of thanks with his subtle humour and disarming smile.
Thank God.Thanks to all. God bless.
CYRIAC THOMAS.