Notes

Mebin John (Rooha Media), on a mission to promote the Syriac heritage

It was indeed a pleasure to speak to Mebin John, who is passionate about promoting the Syriac heritage of the Syro Malabar Church. Mebin acquired an interest in the Syriac language and liturgy early on when he was a young boy. Although not a singer, Mebin was mesmerized by the Syriac melodies that he listened to occasionally in his parish church. Later, he decided to know more about the liturgy and decided to promote Syriac chants through social media. The online Syriac chant competition that he organized in 2018 received great acclaim. Entries, mostly from youngsters, came from the Syro Malabar communities around the world. We look forward to more contributions from Mebin in the coming years and pray for God's blessings on him and his family.

Joseph J. Palackal
New York
30 January 2019

• An inspiring interview indeed ! The story of Mebin John is going to have a cascading effect on the younger generation . For those who thought that Syriac tradition is irretrievably lost , Rooha Media is a befitting reply. Mebin has imbibed the true spirit and passion of HE Late Eugene Cardinal Tisserant - " I love your Church , because I know its history ". Also it shows that , if you are determined and passionate regarding Syriac traditions and language , you can make a difference in your own way. With the huge success of the Syriac Music competition and the on going Speech competition regarding Ecclesiastical vision of Mar Paremakkal, its great going . Lets pray to Almighty that this movement acquires a critical momentum, that can sweep away the cobwebs of Latinisation and help us reclaim our identity as a Church of the East Syriac Tradition - Amel Antony - Feb 3, 2019