His Grace Philipose Mar Eusebius is no more with us in physical body. It is indeed a time for the Church and all his friends to give thanks to God for the gift of a compassionate bishop. As the Eusebius of old, Metropolitan Mar Eusebius had shown great interest in the study of the history of the Churches. For him, Church history is not simply a record of light and shades, but an ongoing dialogue of God with the human race. The Orthodox moorings of the bishop do not make any compromise with anything less than the deposit of faith handed down from generation to generation.

A man is remembered for what he is and what he does. Real memorial is the impression that we leave on others rather than a name inscribed on a plaque! I know Metropolitan Mar Eusebius since 1964 while he was a student of the United Theological College, Bangalore.He was senior in age, but was a year junior to me in the B.D.Class.We had something in common.It was the sense of humour and love we had cultivated there continued to survive till his death.

As a professor at the Orthodox Theological Seminary, Kottayam, Mar Eusebius had maintained good relationship with his friends and other Churches. He was truly an ecumenical bishop, deeply rooted in his own tradition. A true ecumenist does not forget his/her roots.

Mar Eusebius was an illustrious person with a high sense of commitment to his calling. One should remember the words of Sam Ewing who wrote: “It is not the hours you put in your work that counts; it’s the work you put in the hours”. Bishop was true to this noble ideal.

We both had a common friend-the late Rev.Dr.M.A.Thomas, the founder director of ECC, Bangalore.We both were the participants of the first Conference hosted by ECC in 1963 under the shade of a tree in the vicinity of the Farm house. Mar Eusebius had kept his ecumenical link with the Center till he died. In recognition of his ecumenical outlook, he was elected and appointed the chairman of ECC for two consecutive years. He held the office with dignity. During my tenure as Director of ECC, he was its chairman. He had radically shared the concerns of ECC with a great sense of stewardship.

Mar Eusebius was frank and open in his assessment of people and their issues. He also cultivated a great appreciation of eco-spirituality which, I believe, is an enactment of the ecumenical ethos of the Eastern Churches.

You and I feel the loss of a person when he is not with us. But we have the consolation that he had added the fragrance of heaven richer by his presence in the company of the saints. Yes, the death of Mar Eusebius a silent grief and a pleasant memory.