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Catholicose

Catholicose Aboon Mor Baselios Thomas I was born in the Cheruvillil family of Vadayambadi, Puthenkuriz to Mathai and Kunjamma on 22nd July 1929.  Early part of his life was full of sufferings.  Though he belonged to an aristocratic family, by the time he was born the family had seen bad days.  As a child he had frequent bouts of illness which affected his education.  His mother used to take the young boy frequently to the nearby Malecuriz Dayro where the relics of late Patriarch St. Elias III and  St.Gregorios (Parumala Thirumeni) had been interred. One night, as his mother prayed with the young boy on her lap, she had a vision which prompted her to dedicate the boy to the service of the church.  Within days, the boy's illness was entirely cured. God was with him, guiding him and shaping him.
His priestly formation was under the guidance of Mor Philoxenos Paulose (late Catholicos Mor Baselios Paulose II) who ordained him 'Korooyo' in 1952 and 'Shamshono' at Kadamattom Church in 1957.   In August 1958, C M Thomas was ordained 'Kassisso' (full priest) by Mor Yulius Elias at the Majanikkara Dayro.  In 1959 he was appointed as the vicar of St.Peter's church, Puthencuriz.  Later he served the churches at Vellathooval, Keezhumuri, Fort Cochin , Valamboor, Calcutta and Thrissur.  For a period of seven years from 1967, he was the organizing secretary of Kolenchery Medical Mission Hospital .  He also served as the Chief organizer of the North Indian mission at Bhilai in 1970's and as the secretary of the 'Pourasthaya Suvishesha Samajam' in 1974.   He was well known as a great revivalist preacher and was also recognized as an excellent organizer.
In January 1974, Fr. C M Thomas was elected to the episcopate by the Malankara Jacobite Syrian Christian Association convened at the Karingachira St. George Church and was consecrated  Metropolitan with the title 'Mor Dionysius' by H.H Mor Ignatius Ya`qub III on 24th February 1974 at Damascus, Syria.  He was entrusted with the charge of Angamali diocese, the largest of all the Syrian Orthodox dioceses which has a membership of more than half a million.  The untiring efforts of Mor Dionysius in those days had helped a lot to revive the confidence of not merely the faithful of the diocese, but the entire Malankara Church .   Metropolitans Mor Dionysius,  Mor Gregorios (late) and  Mor Kurillos (late) together were a  great support to  the (late) Catholicos Aboon Mor Baselios Paulose II, the then Chief of the Malankara Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church.  As the Metropolitan of Angamali, Mor Dionysius had successfully initiated many welfare programs and also re-organized the diocesan administration.  In 1978 Mor Baselios Medical Mission Hospital   at Kothamangalam was started under his patron-ship.
Catholicose-Designate
Following the demise of Mor Baselios Paulose II in 1996, Mor Gregorios Geevarghese (Perumpally Thirumeni)  become the President of the Episcopal Synod of the Church in .  After the passing away of Mor Gregorios Geevarghese in February 1999, Mor Dionysius assumed the Presidency of the Malankara Church Synod.   On 27th December 2000, His Excellency was chosen as the Catholicose-designate by the Holy Episcopal Synod.  The Church delegates meeting held at Puthenkuriz on the same day, unanimously approved this decision.  H.H the Patriarch, however, waited for two more years  in expectation of a peaceful settlement to the longstanding dispute between the two factions of Malankara Church .  But as it became clearer that the chances for reconciliation is remote because of the insincerity on the part of the opposite faction;  a crucial convention was convened at Puthencuriz, Kerala on 6th July 2002 in which delegates from all the parishes participated and they approved a new constitution for the effective administration of the Indian Church, with the consent of the supreme head, the Patriarch of Antioch & all the East.  H.E. Mor Dionysius Thomas was elected as the Catholicose and the Metropolitan Trustee of the Jacobite Syrian Christian Church at this historic Church Association.  The election was later ratified by the Holy Episcopal Synod of the Universal Syrian Orthodox Church on 22nd July 2002.  
Catholicose Enthronement
On Friday the 26th July 2002,  His Holiness Moran Mor Ignatius Zakka I Iywas the Patriarch of Antioch & all the East, consecrated the 73-year old Mor Dionysius Thomas as  the CATHOLICOS with the title 'BASELIOS THOMAS I',  at a solemn function held at the St. Ephrem Church, Marth Saydnaya, Damascus . Thus, fulfilling the wishes of multitude of faithful, the Malankara Church received a Catholicos after a gap of six years (Catholicos Mor Baselios Paulose II died in 1996).  In the Syrian Orthodox Church hierarchy, the Catholicos is second in rank to the supreme spiritual head, the Patriarch of Antioch.
Fourteen Syrian Orthodox Bishops attended the enthronement ceremony as the co-celebrants.  Thirty five Rambans, many Nuns of the Church and lay people were also present on the occasion to participate in the historical ceremony.  Representatives from Government of & attended the consecration ceremony as special  guests.  Besides the three Metropolitans who were the co-celebrants, the Church in was represented by Very Rev Eraalil Geevarghese Ramban (Kerala), Rev. Fr. Prince Mookkanottil (Vicar Mor Ignatius Syrian Orthodox Church Dubai), Rev. Fr. Eldho Valiya Parambil (Vicar-St.George Abu Dhabi), Rev. Fr. Kurian Maliyil (Vicar Sharjah), Rev.Fr. Mathews ( Muscat ) and Rev. Fr. Varghese Maikkulangara (Kerala). The consecration ceremony started with the celebration of Holy Qurbono at 8 AM by His Holiness the Patriarch, followed by enthronement ceremony, signing of 'SUSTHATHIKON' (Agreement) and 'OKSIOS' (Rising and Declaration). The ceremonial Services ended with the completion of the Holy Qurbono by the newly consecrated Catholicose.
After the enthronement ceremony a reception was given to the Catholicose His Beatitude Mor Baselios Thomas the First.  During the speech delivered on the occasion, His Holiness emphasized that at any cost the Holy See of Antioch will take care of the Church in .  Replying to the congratulatory messages, His Beatitude Mor Baselios Thomas I, the Catholicose of India reiterated that he will ever abide by the Apostolic faith of the Syrian Orthodox Church which his predecessors had keenly followed.
 
News Report on the enthronement of the Catholicos Mor Baselios Thomas I, from the Internet Edition of 'The Middle East Council of Churches' :-   http://www.mecchurches.org/newsreport/vol14_2/zakka.asp
On next day (27th Saturday) at 10.50 am, His Beatitude arrived at Cochin international airport via Dubai & Mumbai.  A rousing reception was given at the Airport premises by thousands of people from all walks of life.  Metropolitans Kuriakose Mor Julius, Joseph Mor Gregorious and Mathews Mor Ivanious accompanied the Catholicos from Damascus .  Besides the Metropolitans and other Church dignitaries, Ministers of State Mr. K V Thomas and Mr. T M Jacob; Member of Parliament P C Thomas; BJP state president C K Padmanabhan; KPCC vice-president P P Thankachen, Members of legislative Assembly V J Paulose, M A Chandrasekharan, P J Joy, V K Ibrahim Kunju, T H Musthafa, Saju Paul, K Babu, K Mohammed Ali and Dominic Presentation; Municipal Chairmen Sheo Paul, M O John and N C Mohanan; and other local government dignitaries were also present on the occasion to receive Catholicose Mor Baselios Thomas I.  Soon after his arrival, His Beatitude went to the nearby Akaparambu Mor Sabor Mor Apfrot Church and offered prayers.   His Beatitude later addressed a press conference at the church hall in which he expressed his deepest condolence on the demise of the Vice-President of India Shri. Krishan Kant.
On the special request of the Catholicose Mor Baselios Thomas I, the public reception planned at Kottayam in the evening, was postponed in respect to the demised Vice-President.
His Beatitude the Catholicose then proceeded to the Kothamangalam MarThoman Church where the mortal remains of Maphryono Saint Baselios Yeldho (1685) is entombed.  Later His Beatitude visited Malecuriz Dayro and offered prayers at the Holy Tomb of his immediate predecessor Mor Baselios Paulose II.  By around 7.00 PM the Catholicose reached St.Joseph's Cathedral, the headquarters of Kottayam diocese and then visited the ancient Manarcad St.Mary's Church, a major pilgrim centre in Kerala.  All through the way, huge gathering of faithful assembled at various places to have a glimpse of their beloved Catholicose and chanted, 'long live Patriarch Mor Ignatius Zakka I Iywas', 'long live Catholicose Mor Baselios Thomas I',  'long live Antioch-Malankara relationship'.  On Sunday the 28th, H.B. the Catholicose celebrated the Holy Qurbono at the Kyomtho Seminary chapel to commemorate the 2nd Dhukrono of Mor Osthatheos Thomas, the former Metropolitan of Kochi diocese.
 
Picture Source:  www.syriacchristianity.com
 

    

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