In the early hours of 21 April 2025, in the hush of Eastertide, as incense still lingered from the Vigil and alleluias trembled upon the lips of the faithful, Pope Francis quietly returned to the house of the Father. At 7:35 AM Vatican Time (11:05 AM IST), in his beloved residence of Casa Santa Marta, the Bishop of Rome — Jorge Mario Bergoglio — offered his final breath in the same spirit with which he had offered his entire papacy: with simplicity, silence, and surrender.

Across the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, incense prayers have risen in remembrance, particularly within our Eparchy of St. Ephrem, which owes its very existence to the paternal solicitude of Pope Francis. The clergy and faithful united in heartfelt commemoration, led by His Excellency Most Rev. Dr. Mathews Mor Pachomios, Bishop of the Eparchy. The pastoral care of the Eparchy began under His Excellency Most Rev. Dr. Thomas Mor Anthonios OIC, who currently serves as the Bishop of the Eparchy of St. John Chrysostom, Gurgaon.

His Eminent Beatitude Cardinal Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis Catholicos, Major Archbishop-Catholicos of our Church, has departed for Rome to join the Church universal in prayerful farewell and to be present at the funeral rites of the Holy Father.

Shepherd Without Borders

The Church, it is often said, is a body — but Pope Francis reminded us that it is also a heart. His was a heart wide enough to hold the East and the West, the broken and the blessed, the seeker and the saint. While seated in Rome, his gaze reached far. To us. To our people.

When the Apostolic Exarchate for the Syro-Malankara Catholic faithful was erected in 2015, it was more than a gesture — it was an echo of the Acts of the Apostles, where the Spirit prompts the Church to send forth her love to every end of the earth. By 2019, this Exarchate had been raised to the Eparchy of St. Ephrem, named after the Harp of the Holy Spirit — a name soaked in poetry and prophecy. In doing so, Pope Francis acknowledged the rhythm of our liturgy, the depth of our theology, and the beauty of our Eastern witness.

The Unexpected Strength of Simplicity

His pontificate was one of sacred defiance — defiance of comfort, of indifference, of distance. He chose shoes that were worn rather than shining. He walked without pomp. He taught without preamble. His faith carried the weight of the Beatitudes and the warmth of a grandfather’s touch.

He gave our Church place, purpose, and presence. When he established our Eparchy and entrusted it to a bishop, and then, through providence, confirmed its continuity through another, he drew the Malankara Church closer into the communion of the Catholic fold. His apostolic letter — Sancti Ephraemi Khadkiensis Syro-Malankarensium appellanda — was more than an official decree. It was an embrace.

Time of Holy Remembering

As he now lies in state in St. Peter’s Basilica, with multitudes queuing in solemn quiet to pray before his body, we kneel from afar in communion. The days of Novemdiales — the nine days of mourning — invite us to join the universal Church in remembering.

In his final days, he suffered greatly. Bronchitis, bilateral pneumonia, and eventually a stroke led to his peaceful repose. Yet his final blessing to the faithful — his ride among them in the popemobile after the Urbi et Orbi blessing — stands as a final embrace.

To his assistant, he whispered, “Thank you for bringing me back to the Square.”

To us, it felt like he was brought back to our hearts.

With Hearts Lifted in Gratitude

From every Malankara altar where the Holy Qurbana rises, from every incense-bearing child in a catechism class, from every mother who teaches her child to cross himself in the Eastern fashion — a silent thanks rises.

We owe this moment in our history to the heart of a Pope who chose inclusion over indifference. Who looked eastward when the world seemed turned west. Who gifted us an Eparchy because he believed we had something sacred to offer.

This thank you belongs to the children who now serve at our altars, the priests who carry our rite with pride, and the elderly who witnessed our Church embraced in full communion.

Standing Together in Prayer

In this time of sacred remembrance, His Eminent Beatitude Cardinal Moran Mor Baselios Cleemis Catholicos, Major Archbishop-Catholicos of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, has called upon the Church to gather in solemn prayer. His circular to all clergy, religious, and faithful invites our entire communion to honour the life and witness of Pope Francis through the Holy Qurbono on Monday, 29 April 2025, and during the memorial gatherings on Saturday, 27 April 2025 across all Ecclesiastical Districts.

As the funeral of Pope Francis takes place on Saturday, 26 April 2025, church bells will toll across our parishes—resounding with sorrow and profound reverence. His Beatitude’s message encourages every household and parish to enter fully into these days of mourning and thanksgiving, offering incense and intercession in spiritual unity with the Church gathered in Rome.

These days remind us that grief is shared in communion, just as faith is lived in unity. Let us lift our hearts in one liturgical breath—remembering the Shepherd who gave us this Eparchy and walking together in prayer, communion, and peace.

We Remember Through Our Mission

Let the best memorial to our founder be in the life we live as Church. Let us:

• Strengthen our Ecclesiastical Districts.
• Raise catechists who understand both faith and culture.
• Form priests in the image of the Good Shepherd.
• Celebrate the West Syriac liturgy with fire and fidelity.
• Serve the poor with tenderness.

Let every Malankara Catholic who worships under the patronage of St. Ephrem rise each morning with the fire of the Gospel and the humility of Pope Francis.

A Benediction in Silence

Holy Father, you gave us more than an Eparchy. You gave us a glimpse of what the Church looks like when it breathes with both lungs — East and West.

You saw us. You loved us. You carried us in your heart.

Now, we entrust your soul to the mercy of the One you followed. As the bells of St. Peter’s Basilica toll and incense drifts toward heaven, we raise the Trisagion for you:

Kadeeshath Aaloho, Kadeeshath  Heilsono, Kadeeshath lomoyooso

May the angels carry you to the altar where the Lamb reigns. And may your voice join that of St. Ephrem in eternal song.

Forever Grateful,

The Eparchy of St. Ephrem, Khadki-Pune