‘Tainted’ Mar Clemis keeps off church panel

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Kuriakose Mar Clemis, former Idukki metropolitan of Malankara Jacobite Syrian Church, who claimed he paid the church hierarchy Rs 3 crore to become a bishop, has given a slip to the panel probing the complaint.

The bishop has been “missing” since July 27 from a retreat centre of the church in Kottayam. “Mar Clemis moved to the centre on July 24 on the advice of Catholicos Baselios Thomas I, but he left it three days later, without informing anyone.

All attempts by the panel to contact him and record his statement regarding his allegation have failed,” said church managing committee secretary Thampu George.

The Episcopal Synod of the church that had met on July 25 had constituted an eight-member panel to probe the allegation of Mar Clemis.

The panel was also asked to probe the allegations against Mar Clemis as well, including the complaint that he had indulged in financial malpractices of `5 crore and that his personal conduct was unbecoming of a bishop.

The Synod had removed Mar Clemis from official duties pending the probe. The bishop was also asked to explain his conduct of giving accommodation to two nuns who were ousted from a convent.

“Since he is refusing to cooperate with the panel, we may have to take a decision without hearing him,” George said.

Meanwhile, the convener of the panel and Synod secretary Metropolitan Joseph Mar Gregorios left for Europe on a two-week long tour, further delaying the work of the panel.