"Our mission is not conversion, but to serve the poor, especially those in villages," said Paulos Mar Milithios, Catholicos designate of
the Indian orthodox church. Milithios is in the city for 'Convocation 2009', a function to confer the graduate in sacred theology degree to 50 students from all over India.
Milithios, in his message to fresh graduates, said, "While studying for their degree, students are taught about the things to be done. The aim is to serve the society. We do not discriminate against any caste, creed or religion. We are Indians first and then Christians."
With a network spread across the length and breadth of the country and abroad as well, the Indian Orthodox Church is not dependent on foreign aid for its various social projects. "The bible says that 10% of your earnings should be given to the Lord. We have very good parishioners, most of whom are working in the gulf. They are very generous and hence we do not need to ask anybody for financial help," Milithios told TOI on Tuesday.
The issue of conversion keeps coming up on and off, but Milithios has a very clear stand. "We do not encourage conversion. We are totally against it. When we help people, we do not do so with the intention of converting them. That's not our aim. On the contrary, we have priests who teach subjects like Sanskrit," said Milithios.
"Most of the beneficiaries of projects are non-Christians. Even for our functions, we invite personalities from other communities to grace the occasion," said Yakob Mar Irenaios, metropolitan of Kochi diocese.
John Behr, rector of St Vladimir's Seminary, New York, said that though inclination towards religion was on the decline in the west, there were those who had given up careers in engineering and medicine to find solace in spiritual activities. Speaking of India, Behr said, "We have plans to start an Indian publication on theology and spiritual books so that they become more affordable. In a year's time, we will start student exchange programmes so that youngsters can get a feel of both worlds."
Given the race for materialistic pleasures, are youngsters shying away from priesthood? "I don't think so. We have youngsters who were doing well in their careers, but found peace and satisfaction in our way of living and working and hence left everything else. Youngsters don't join priesthood because they are incapable of doing anything else. This is a myth. Even His Grace Yakob and I had good jobs, but serving people gave us more satisfaction and so we quit," said Yuhanon Mar Dioscorus, metropolitan of Chennai diocese.
With the state assembly elections round the corner, Milithios said, "We never speak for or against any party and neither do we interfere in the democratic right of our parishioners. They are free to vote for any party. They can join any party."