"Now the universal Church, together with all those who belong to your ecclesial tradition, is counting upon Your Beatitude to ensure that the Malankara community can proceed along a

twofold path. On the one hand, through faithfulness to the Apostolic See you will always participate fully in the universal breath of the one Church of Christ; on the other hand your fidelity to the specifically Eastern features of your tradition will enable the whole Church to benefit from what in His manifold wisdom the Spirit is saying to the Churches'."

"As head and shepherd of the Syro-Malankara Church," the Pope continued, "Your Beatitude has been entrusted with the mission of leading and sustaining the Christian witness and ecclesial life of the faithful of that noble Church throughout the vast Indian sub-continent and the other regions where Syro-Malankara Catholics are found."

Going on to refer to the challenges of the current moment, the Holy Father expressed the view that "now is a time of new evangelization, a time of constantly renewed and convinced dialogue with all our brothers and sisters who share our Christian faith, a time of respectful and fruitful encounter between religions and cultures for the good of all, and especially the poorest of the poor. Our commitment to evangelization needs to be constantly renewed, as we strive to build peace, in justice and solidarity, for the whole human family. May you always draw strength from the Lord and from the collegial support of your brother bishops - the members of the Synod."

Pope Benedict XVI concluded by assuring the major archbishop of his prayers for bishops of the Syro-Malankara Church, to whom he also sent a special greeting for the happy occasion of the 75th anniversary of the establishment of the Syro-Malankara hierarchy.