Thursday, March 26, 2009

St. Mary, the mother of Jesus


A well-known tradition says she was born in Jerusalem, the daughter of Joachim and Ann. Other early sources say Mary was born in Nazareth. There is even an ancient record that points to Sepphoris, a town a few miles from Nazareth, as her birthplace. Map (15 K gif)

Wherever she was born, Mary's life most likely unfolded in the staunch Jewish settlement of Nazareth in the hills of Galilee, not far from the important caravan routes linking Egypt and Mesopotamia.

The Jews there were a strong, robust people. The hill climate was dry and healthful. And though the land often lacked water and no one knew from one year to the next if enough rain would fall or if invading locusts or field mice would spoil the crops -- still, facing uncertainty only made the people of Galilee more hard-working and close-knit. Struggling for a living deepened their religious spirit. They learned you must depend on God always.

H.H. Ignatius Zakka-I Iwas & H.B. Baselios Thomas-I


The Holy Episcopal Synod of Malankara Syrian Church held at Kothamangalam St. Mary's Cathedral (Valiya Pally).  under the presidentship of H.H. Ignatius Zakka-I Iwas, the Patriarch of Antioch & all the East and the Supreme head of the Universal Syrian Orthodox Church and under the sub-presdientship of H.B. Baselios Thomas-I, the Catholicos on 26th October 2008