| H.H. Baselios Marthoma Mathews I ( Vattakunnel Bava ) |
H. H. Baselios Marthoma Mathews I (1907-1996) |
| His Holiness Baselios Marthoma Mathews I was the 88th successor to the Throne of St. Thomas, the Apostle of India and the 5th Catholicose after re-establishment of the Catholicate in Malankara, India. Mar Baselios has been the traditional formal title of all Catholicose taken after the Great Theologian Mar Baselios of Cappodocia. The title “Mar Thoma” has been suffixed for the first time when H. H. Mathews I was installed as Catholicose. The title “Mar Thoma” has historical significance. Following the “Coonan Kurish Sathyam” of 1653 the Malankara Metropolitan was installed as “Mar Thoma” signifying the St. Thomas Tradition of Malankara Church. This title however was dropped at the intervention of the Church of Syria from the time of Marthoma VI (1765) who was forced to accept the title Mar Dionysius instead of “Mar Thoma.” |
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His Holiness was born on March 27, 1907. His parents were Fr. Cherian Kurian Vattakunnel, Kottayam and Mariam Pulikaparampil, Olesa, Kottayam. Fr. Kurian was the Vicar of St. Mary’s Syrian Church Manarcadu, Kottayam; St. Thomas Church, Vadakenmanoor, Kottayam and Nilakal Church Puthupally, Kotttayam. He was named V. K. Mathew and had his education at M.D. Seminary High School, Kottayam, C.M.S. College, Kottayam and graduated from University College (erstwhile Maharaja’s College) Thiruvananthapuram. |
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Dn. K.T. Verghese (Gevergese Mar Phelaxinose of
Puthenkavil) and Vattaseril Geverghese Mar Dionysius (St. Dionysius)
persuaded him to go for Theological studies at Calcutta. He then
joined the Bishop’s College, Calcutta and obtained B.D. degree
in 1936. After return he studied Syriac under Cheriamadathyl Malpan.
He started teaching at the Orthodox Theological Seminary, Kottayam
from 1942. He was appointed Principal in 1951 and retained the position
till 1966. |
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