During the Summer Break on June 27th of this year, the Seton Hall University Community welcomed and hosted his Grace, Bishop (Mor) Theophilos Kuriakose of the Jacobite Syrian Christian Church, as he visited from India who not only wished to tour our campus, but also specifically visit our Library. He has shown himself to be a true bibliophile and his enthusiasm was contagious and inspired.
Bishop Theophilos serves as the Resident Metropolitan and Professor of New Testament at MSOT Seminary, Metropolitan and Patriarchal Vicar of Malankara Churches in Europe and Ecumenical Office President of Malankara Jacobite Syrian Church. He also has been involved for many years in ecumenical dialogue internationally. The group hosting the visit happen to be all close colleagues and friends, and His Grace truly became one with the group almost immediately.
Bishop Theophilos examines documentation along with (from L-R: Dr. Nancy Enright, Chair of the Core Curriculum; Brianna LoSardo; and Athena Frade
A special tour of Walsh Library was led by various library professionals, who all graciously welcomed His Grace. Included in this coterie were Brianna LoSardo, Archivist for the Archdiocese of Newark; and Athena Frade, Sacramental Records Assistant for the Archdiocese of Newark, and Waverly Riley, Assistant to the Dean of University Libraries.
Along with inspecting the Philosophy and Theology texts found within the Main Collection stacks, a number of specific titles related to Eastern Orthodox doctrine and various documents from our Special Collections Center including a religious text penned in Ancient Syriac along with related materials of note were displayed and examined by His Grace.
Bishop Theophilos examines documentation along with (from L-R: Dr. Athena Frade and Brianna LoSardo
The time Bishop Theophilos spent on campus was nothing short of a beautiful time of fellowship and as experienced, a warm and devout person of faith. His Grace noted: “As I think back with gratitude on the progress made thus far, I assure you of my desire to persevere in the effort to restore full visible communion between our Churches. The attainment of this goal can only come about, with God’s help, through a continued commitment to respectful listening and fraternal dialogue.”
You can consult the following sites for more information on the visit of Bishop Theophilos to Seton Hall University and Syrian Religious Texts currently found within the University Libraries Catalog.
For additional information please feel free to contact us via e-mail via the University Libraries Homepage.