St Ignatius Elias III

St Ignatius Elias III is the only Patriarch of Antioch and all the East who has demised in India and is entombed in India. The tomb of the Saint is at the Mor Ignatius Dayaro Church, Manjanikara. The demise of the Father was on 13th Feb 1932. The Holy Church remembers the Saint in the Fifth Tubden / Diptych of the Holy Qurbana. Tens of thousands of the faithful come to the tomb of the Saint on foot, to attend the feast of the Saint (​Manjanikkara Theertha Yathra).

The Holy Father came to Malankara to seek a permanent peace by settling the rift that existed in Malankara Church as Bava Party and Metran Party. The doctors advised Holy Father not to take any long and tedious journeys since. he was a heart patient. His 75 years old, elder sister pleaded to him with tears, not to undertake the journey. Bava's reply was "One day we will die, even if we are here. Death may occur while in India. We are sacrificing our life, for our children in Malankara.

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During his one year stay in Kerala the Holy Father made many attempts for making peace in Malankara through mediators and directly. Much worried over the attitude of opposite parties of being elusive to the attempts for peace, the holy Father reached St Stephen's Church, Manjinikara, Omallur. Moran Elias III Father made his own life meaningful, by his self-sacrifice for the obtaining peace in the Malankara Church just as his beloved Lord Christ; who gave himself as sacrifice for the human race. His smiling face, friendly words, magnanimity, broadmindedness, etc, are especially memorable. May the prayers of the Saint protect us.