The malady of value erosion among the members of the new generation exists because the teachings of Jesus Christ have been sidelined, Zacharias Mar Aprem, Metropolitan of the Adoor-Kadambanad diocese of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, has said.

The Metropolitan was inaugurating the 72nd Orthodox Syrian Christian Convention at Kallooppara, near Mallappally, on Sunday evening.

Need of the time

Mar Aprem said the Gospel of Jesus Christ had a lot of relevance and its propagation and practice were the need of the times.

Youhanon Mar Christostomos, Metropolitan of the Niranom diocese of the Church, presided over the inaugural function. Varghese Punnose, head of the Department of Psychiatry at the Government Medical College at Kottayam, delivered the keynote address. Fr Cherian George, convention organising committee president; Fr Ninan Varghese, vice-president; and Fr John Chagcko, secretary; also spoke. The Sunday School students from various parishes attached to the Niranom diocese had also taken out a rally. A Bible class for children was held at the convention venue on Monday morning. Fr Zacharias Thomas delivered a discourse in the evening.

The week-long religious meet will come to a close on Sunday.