Institute of Old Catholic Theology

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Colloquium

Celebration of the communion between the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church and the Old Catholic Churches of the Union of Utrecht

Saturday, 2024/10/05, 10:15

On 10 February 2024, the Thiruvalla Agreement was signed in Kerala (India). With this, the Old Catholic Churches of the Union of Utrecht and the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church agreed to enter into communion with each other. To make the communion visible for our churches in Europe as well, this will be celebrated in Bern on 5 and 6 October: on 5 october with an academic colloquium and on 6 october with a festive Eucharist. The Colloquium "Committed to Communion" (to be held in English) is dedicated to theological and practical aspects of the relationship, including the following questions: What does it mean to be a Christian in Europe or a Christian in India today? What do we as Old Catholic and Mar Thoma believers expect from the communion that connects our churches? What spiritual resources and traditions do we bring to this relationship?

Event organizer: The colloquium is organised by the Institute for Christian Catholic Theology. Registration by 25. September at: conference.ickath.theol@unibe.ch
Speaker: Prof. Dr. Angela Berlis, Prof. Dr. Georgiana Huian, PD Joseph Mar Ivanios, Prof. em. Dr. Franz Segbers and others.
Date: 2024/10/05
Time: 10:15 - 16:30
Locality: Room 205
Hallerstrasse
6
3012 Bern
Characteristics: open to the public
free of charge
Planned programme
Saturday, 5 October, 10.15 a.m. – 4.30 p.m.: Colloquium «Committed to Communion» (to be held in English) University of Bern, Hallerstrasse 6, Room 205 Welcome

Inaugural Lecture as Privatdozent by habil Joseph Mar Ivanios Episcopa

Part I: Being Christian today: Challenges

Part II: Being in communion – expectations contextualizes

Part II: Empowerments: Tradition(s) Connected, Life Shared

 At 6.30 pm.: Evensong, Church of St Peter and Paul, Bern, Rathausgasse 2
Sunday, 6 October, 10.00. a.m.: Festive Eucharist in the Church of St Peter and Paul, Rathausgasse 2, Bern With the bishops Frank Bangerter (Bishop of the Old Catholic Church of Switzerland), Bernd Wallet (Archbishop of Utrecht and President of the IBC) and Dr Theodosius Mar Thoma Metropolitan (presiding Bishop of the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church, Thiruvalla) as well as other bishops of the Mar Thoma Church and the Old Catholic Churches the Union of Utrecht. Afterwards, an Indian buffet in the Distelzwangkeller, Gerechtigkeitsgasse 79 will be held.