Ignatius Aphrem II, Patriarch of Antioch and head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, has accepted the offer by Catholicos Baselios Thomas I to step down. Catholicos Baselios Thomas I had offered to step down from the leadership of the Church earlier this week apparently following differences between him and the newly elected managing committee. The Patriarch has appointed a committee comprising Bishops Abraham Mar Severios of Angamaly, Thomas Mar Themotheos of Kottayam and Joseph Mar Gregorios of Kochi. DifferencesSources in the Jacobite Church said that there had been some differences between members of the new managing committee, elected in November last year. The Jacobite Church, a faction of the Malankara Church, has been functioning sepately since 2002.

Source: The Hindu May 02, 2019 17:48 UTC