Baselius Mar Thoma Mathews II
Encyclopedia
His Holiness Moran Mar Baselios Marthoma Mathews II (January 30, 1915 - January 26, 2006) was the Supreme head of Indian Orthodox Church, which is also known as Malankara Orthodox Church. He was the 89th successor to the Holy Apostolic Throne of St. Thomas and Catholicos of the East
and Malankara Metropolitan.
He was born at Perinad
in Kollam district
of Kerala
, and had his religious training at Old Seminary Kottayam and also at Basil Dayara, Pathanamthitta
. Later he joined Bishop's College, Calcutta
for his B. D. Degree, and studied Theology at the General Theological Seminary
, New York.
He was ordained
as Deacon
in 1938 then as Priest
in 1941. It was during his stay at St. George Dayara Othara that Father Mathews made a mark as a devoted and an able priest of the Indian Orthodox Church. He was noted for his spiritual leadership and loving nature and could endear himself to everyone who came in contact with him, and called "Father Angel" at that time. His Holiness, Baselios Geevarghese II, took special interest in the activities of Father Mathews.
On May 15, 1953 he was ordained as a Bishop
of the Indian Orthodox church at the age of thirty eight. As Metropolitan
of the Diocese of Kollam, he was fully responsible for its growth and progress and the number of parishes almost doubled within a short period. Several monasteries and convents were started. A large number of educational institutions and hospitals were established. Several Colleges, Schools, Hospitals and other service institutions were established and administered under his direct control and leadership. He has travelled in various countries including the United States
, Canada
, Europe
, Malaya
, Singapore
and Gulf
countries, and has attended various international meetings and conferences.
It was in 1980 that he was unanimously elected by the Malankara Syrian Christian Association as successor to the throne of Catholicos of the East and Malankara Metropolitan. In recent years some of the new schemes started under his directions are found to be of much help and benefit for the community at large. A Civil Service Academy was started at Thiruvananthapuram
, to give proper training for candidates appearing for I. A. S.; I. P. S.; I. F. S. and other Central Service Examinations. With a view to provide shelter for the poor, an House Building Assistance project was started. The Community Marriage Scheme is found beneficial for the marriage of poor girls. Human Resources Development and Services Wing is also helpful for the community in general.
As President of the Ecumenical committee in Kerala and also in various other Inter-Church Committees he has shown excellent leadership. He kept in touch with the heads of other churches and promoted Ecumenism
. Due to ill health and old age His Holiness voluntarily resigned his position as the Supreme Head of the Indian Orthodox Church on 29 October 2005.
His Holiness died on Thursday, January 26, 2006. His Body is Interred in Mount Horeb Chapel, in Sasthamkotta on 28th.
Catholicos of the East
Catholicos of the East is an ecclesiastical title used historically by the Church of the East and the Syriac Orthodox Church, and now used in successor churches. The title Catholicos, or "universal leader", is used in several Eastern Christian churches and implies a degree of sovereignty and...
and Malankara Metropolitan.
He was born at Perinad
Perinad
-Demographics: India census, Perinad had a population of 32864 with 16032 males and 16832 females.Perinad is a fast growing village at the outskirts of Kollam city. The Perinad panchayath office is about 13 km away from Kollam City center. The important towns in the Panchayath are...
in Kollam district
Kollam district
-Climate:Kollam's temperature is almost steady throughout the year. The average temperature ranges from 25 to 32 degrees Celsius. Summer usually runs from March until May; the monsoon begins by June and ends by September. Kollam receives an annual average rainfall of around...
of Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
, and had his religious training at Old Seminary Kottayam and also at Basil Dayara, Pathanamthitta
Pathanamthitta
Pathanamthitta is a large town and a municipality situated in the central Travancore region in the state of Kerala, south India, spread over an area of 23.50 km2. It is the administrative capital of Pathanamthitta district. The city has a population of 38,000...
. Later he joined Bishop's College, Calcutta
Kolkata
Kolkata , formerly known as Calcutta, is the capital of the Indian state of West Bengal. Located on the east bank of the Hooghly River, it was the commercial capital of East India...
for his B. D. Degree, and studied Theology at the General Theological Seminary
General Theological Seminary
The General Theological Seminary of the Episcopal Church is a seminary of the Episcopal Church in the United States and is located in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan in New York....
, New York.
He was ordained
Holy Orders
The term Holy Orders is used by many Christian churches to refer to ordination or to those individuals ordained for a special role or ministry....
as Deacon
Deacon
Deacon is a ministry in the Christian Church that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions...
in 1938 then as Priest
Priest
A priest is a person authorized to perform the sacred rites of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in particular, rites of sacrifice to, and propitiation of, a deity or deities...
in 1941. It was during his stay at St. George Dayara Othara that Father Mathews made a mark as a devoted and an able priest of the Indian Orthodox Church. He was noted for his spiritual leadership and loving nature and could endear himself to everyone who came in contact with him, and called "Father Angel" at that time. His Holiness, Baselios Geevarghese II, took special interest in the activities of Father Mathews.
On May 15, 1953 he was ordained as a Bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of the Indian Orthodox church at the age of thirty eight. As Metropolitan
Metropolitan bishop
In Christian churches with episcopal polity, the rank of metropolitan bishop, or simply metropolitan, pertains to the diocesan bishop or archbishop of a metropolis; that is, the chief city of a historical Roman province, ecclesiastical province, or regional capital.Before the establishment of...
of the Diocese of Kollam, he was fully responsible for its growth and progress and the number of parishes almost doubled within a short period. Several monasteries and convents were started. A large number of educational institutions and hospitals were established. Several Colleges, Schools, Hospitals and other service institutions were established and administered under his direct control and leadership. He has travelled in various countries including the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
, Malaya
Federation of Malaya
The Federation of Malaya is the name given to a federation of 11 states that existed from 31 January 1948 until 16 September 1963. The Federation became independent on 31 August 1957...
, Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
and Gulf
Persian Gulf
The Persian Gulf, in Southwest Asia, is an extension of the Indian Ocean located between Iran and the Arabian Peninsula.The Persian Gulf was the focus of the 1980–1988 Iran-Iraq War, in which each side attacked the other's oil tankers...
countries, and has attended various international meetings and conferences.
It was in 1980 that he was unanimously elected by the Malankara Syrian Christian Association as successor to the throne of Catholicos of the East and Malankara Metropolitan. In recent years some of the new schemes started under his directions are found to be of much help and benefit for the community at large. A Civil Service Academy was started at Thiruvananthapuram
Thiruvananthapuram
Thiruvananthapuram , formerly known as Trivandrum, is the capital of the Indian state of Kerala and the headquarters of the Thiruvananthapuram District. It is located on the west coast of India near the extreme south of the mainland...
, to give proper training for candidates appearing for I. A. S.; I. P. S.; I. F. S. and other Central Service Examinations. With a view to provide shelter for the poor, an House Building Assistance project was started. The Community Marriage Scheme is found beneficial for the marriage of poor girls. Human Resources Development and Services Wing is also helpful for the community in general.
As President of the Ecumenical committee in Kerala and also in various other Inter-Church Committees he has shown excellent leadership. He kept in touch with the heads of other churches and promoted Ecumenism
Ecumenism
Ecumenism or oecumenism mainly refers to initiatives aimed at greater Christian unity or cooperation. It is used predominantly by and with reference to Christian denominations and Christian Churches separated by doctrine, history, and practice...
. Due to ill health and old age His Holiness voluntarily resigned his position as the Supreme Head of the Indian Orthodox Church on 29 October 2005.
His Holiness died on Thursday, January 26, 2006. His Body is Interred in Mount Horeb Chapel, in Sasthamkotta on 28th.
See also
- Indian (Malankara) Orthodox Church