KUWAIT: Mar Thoma XXII of the Mar Thoma church, Dr Theodosius Mar Thoma Metropolitan, was given a rousing reception jointly by the seven Mar Thoma parishes in Kuwait on his first visit to Kuwait. The reception was held at the National Evangelical Church Kuwait (NECK), Kuwait City on Thursday.

Theodosius Mar Thoma XXII Metropolitan is the current metropolitan of the church and the primate of the Mar Thoma Syrian Church headquartered in Kerala, India. He presently occupies the apostolic throne of St Thomas as the first Mar Thoma metropolitan to be born in post-independence India.

In his message, Dr Theodosius Metropolitan thanked God Almighty and expressed his gratitude to Kuwait leadership for supporting the Mar Thoma community and allowing the church to function for the last 60 plus years in the country. He emphasized that the Mar Thoma parishes in Kuwait would continue to support the community.

In his felicitation speech, Indian Ambassador Sibi George conveyed greetings to Dr Theodosius Metropolitan on behalf of nearly one million Indians living in Kuwait. The ambassador lauded the humanitarian services rendered by the Mar Thoma churches in Kuwait. Fr John Jacob (KECF president), Ajosh Mathew (NECK), Manoj Mathew (Church council), and representatives from all seven Mar Thoma parishes in Kuwait felicitated the metropolitan.