Priest's remains returned to Chengannur from US after 16 years
The mortal remains of retired priest C J Oommen Corepiscopa are being brought to his native place for burial.
The mortal remains of a senior priest, C J Oommen Corepiscopa, have been brought back to his native Chengannur from the US for burial, according to The New Indian Express. Corepiscopa, a retired priest from Kottamala in Kottukulanji, passed away in Philadelphia on October 14, 2010, at the age of 85.
The priest's wife, Blossom Mathew Oommen, died on October 24, 10 days after him. Her body was brought to Kerala and her funeral was held at St Mary's Church, Kodukulanji, under the Prakashagiri parish. The family's wish to bring Corepiscopa's remains to his homeland was previously stalled by legal and procedural hurdles.
The couple's son, Fr Goldenly Thomas Oommen, said that because their mother was too ill to travel to India with the body, they decided to conduct the funeral in the US. He stated that they later initiated steps to exhume the remains, but legal hurdles stalled the process.
Formalities were completed with the assistance of the Indian Embassy and permission was received from the Church. Corepiscopa previously served as secretary to Catholicos Baselios Geevarghese II from 1950 to 1957 at the Church headquarters in Devalokam, Kottayam.
The Holy Qurbana will be celebrated on Wednesday at St Mary's Church, Prakashagiri, with Mathews Mar Theodosius as the chief celebrant. The burial ceremony is scheduled for 10.30 am in the presence of Diocesan Metropolitan Dr Mathews Mar Timotheos and other senior clergy.
