HR1338 99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HR1338 LRB099 22178 GRL 49543 r

HOUSE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The Chicago-area parishes are privileged by the arrival of His Holiness Moran Mar Baselius Mar Thoma Paulose II, and will be hosting a reception in his honor on July 2, 2016 at St. Thomas Orthodox Church in Chicago; and

WHEREAS, His Holiness is the supreme head of the Manlankara Orthodox Syrian Church of the East; and

WHEREAS, His Holiness is the true successor of St. Thomas and administers the affairs of the church sitting on the throne of the Apostle St. Thomas as an autonomous ruler over an autocephalous church; and

WHEREAS, His Holiness Moran Mar Baselius Mar Thoma Paulose II is the 91st successor of the throne of St. Thomas the Apostle; and

WHEREAS, The Manlankara Orthodox Syrian Church of the East is as old as Christianity and has existed in India for the past 20 centuries ever since St. Thomas the Apostle founded the Church in 52 A.D.; the church has been recognized by all world Christian denominations, Roman Catholics, Protestant, and the Eastern and the Oriental Orthodox Churches, along with the World Council of Churches as an independent, indigenous, and autocephalous Church; and

WHEREAS, The Manlankara Orthodox Syrian Church of the East now has faithful followers, clergy, bishops, and parishes in India, Malaysia, the Middle East, Europe, Australia, Africa, the Americas, and all over the world; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE NINETY-NINTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we welcome His Holiness Moran Mar Baselius Mar Thoma Paulose II to the State of Illinois; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to His Holiness Moran Mar Baselius Mar Thoma Paulose II as a symbol of our esteem and respect.