Kottayam: The Russian government honoured the head of the Orthodox Syrian Church, Baselios Marthoma Mathews III Catholicos, with the prestigious Order of Friendship. The award was conferred in recognition of his significant contributions to fostering Indo-Russian cooperation and friendship.

The Catholicos is the first spiritual leader from India to receive this honour. Russian Ambassador Denis Alipov, representing Russian President Vladimir Putin, presented the award to him at a ceremony held at the Russian Embassy in New Delhi. The Order of Friendship is a high distinction awarded by the Russian President to individuals who have made extraordinary contributions in various fields.

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In a statement, the Catholicos expressed his happiness at receiving the honour and affirmed his commitment to continuing his work to strengthen the relationship between the Orthodox Syrian Church and the Russian Orthodox Church.

Baselios Marthoma Mathews III was elected as the head of the Orthodox Syrian Church and Malankara Metropolitan on October 15, 2021.
Earlier, the Catholicos was awarded the Order of Glory and Honour by the head of the Russian Orthodox Church for his efforts in strengthening the ties between the Russian Orthodox Church and the Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church. He has also led initiatives in promoting charitable institutions aimed at supporting marginalized segments of society.

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