|
His Holiness Baselios Marthoma Mathews II, the sixth Catholicos of the East in Malankara and 89th Apostolic Successor of St. Thomas, lived a celebrated life, profoundly touching the hearts of millions and leaving an indelible mark on the history of Malankara. Anointed to his Holy Episcopate by the descent of the Holy Spirit, Mar Baselios diligently guided the Malankara Orthodox Church with the devotion of a true shepherd for fifteen years, from 1991 to 2006, in his apostolic mission.
Mar Baselios was a profoundly charismatic individual whose presence was enhanced by an enduring smile and features that reflected the greatness of his soul. His natural charm originated from a warm, disarming smile that illuminated his entire face, mirroring the happiness within his mind.
The Metropolitan secured a special place in the hearts of his congregation through his complete devotion and principled way of life. He commanded respect from both religious and community leaders and effortlessly connected with people from all walks of life—young and old, rich and poor, educated and uneducated.
His unwavering stance on the core principles of the Church and continuous commitment to ascetic practices earned him universal admiration and respect. His journey to the peak of self-discipline—achieved through fasting, penance, and meditation—was matched by his deep compassion for the disadvantaged, making H.H. Marthoma Mathews a truly revered "god-man" in every sense.
Childhood and Education:
Marthoma Mathews was born at Puthusserazhikath Puthenveedu in Perinadu near Quilon in the Trikkunnathu Panchyath area on January 30, 1915 to Idiculla and Annamma couple. His paternal root family was Menattil and mother Annamma belonged to Nellikkunnathu Family at Kottarakara. Known by a pet name 'Kochunnoonni', Mathews was the eldest son among the eight children of Idiculla family, five sons and three daughters. Being eldest in the family, Kochunnoonni enjoyed a special respect from his siblings, very near to the paternal respect and affection. The original mother-church of Menattil family was the St. Thomas Church, 6 K.M. away from the residence of Idiculla family. Later a Church was constructed at Perinadu and family of Mathews started their fellowship at this new Church.
As per the prevailed custom of that time, after studying alphabets and minor mathematics from a local Guru, Kochunnoonni joined Inchavilla Kavara North Lower Primary School under the discipleship of Ayyappan Master. Incidentally, Ayyappan Master was the teacher of his father Idiculla also. Most of the friends of Mathews were Hindus and Muslims. Mathews studied upto forth standard in Kavara School. Further Mathews joined Prakulam N.S.S High School for his higher secondary education. Mathews was very fond of reading biographical sketches of Hindu ascetic Sanyasis.
Kochunnoonni regularly attended the Bible Class led by Reverend Ala Achen of the Mar Thoma Church,
finding the sessions deeply moving and inspiring. During his youth, this period coincided with Sadhu Kochoonj Upadeshi of MoonnamPackal actively disseminating the message of personal spirituality and a direct relationship with Jesus through his pervasive sermons and hymns throughout the southern region of Travancore.
Although Mathews' parents, especially his father, initially opposed him pursuing the priesthood, a pivotal encounter at Kundara Seminary changed his path;
meeting the revered Catholicos Baselios Geevarghese II deeply inspired the studious and God-loving Mathews, leading him to adopt the Catholicos as his role model and resolve to dedicate his life to priestly service.
The people of Perinad Parish held a strong desire for a priest from their own community. Drawn to Mathews' graceful, holy appearance and devout nature, his fellow parishioners selected him for ordination as their local priest. Idiculla, however, opposed this idea, prompting Mathews to pray earnestly for a change of his father's mind. Coincidentally, several misfortunes soon befell the family. Guided by an intuition that these incidents were a result of his resistance to Mathews' ordination, Idiculla became more flexible on the matter.
One night, Mathews dreamed of receiving a divine calling from God, similar to the one experienced by the Prophet Samuel. The following day, Mathews recounted this dream to his cousin, Thalavoor Charuvilla John. Recognizing Mathews's mental state and the significance of his account, John informed their parents and fellow church members about the incident.
News of the episode reached the diocesan Metropolitan of Quilon, Alexios Mar Theodosious, who encouraged the young boy toward a priestly vocation. Subsequently, a group of envoys from the parish informed Catholicos Mar Geevarghese II, who was residing at Kundara Seminary at the time. The Catholicos consulted with and sought the advice of the seminary Manager, Father Modisseril Mathews, who was well aware that Mathews (referred to as "Kochunnonni") was a very deserving candidate for this calling.
Immediately, the Catholicos sent an official ecclesiastical letter to Mathews's father, instructing him to bring his son to the seminary. When the father, Idiculla, arrived at the seminary with his son and met the Thirumeni, the Catholicos declared to Idiculla, as an order: "I need your son." Following this decree, events moved forward rapidly.
Ordinations for Priestly Services:
On April 17, 1938, Mathews was ordained to the diaconate at Kundara Seminary, fulfilling a lifelong ambition. He then traveled to Kottayam to study theology at the M.D. Seminary, becoming a disciple of Cheriamadathil Skariah Malpan and Fr. K.B. Mathews of Karikkott. The Malpan, fond of the fair, handsome deacon, provided him with Syriac lessons. When the M.D. Seminary temporarily closed, Deacon Mathews relocated with other deacons to the petty Basil Seminary in Makkamkunnu, Pathanamthitta, established by H.G. Geevarghese Mar Philaxenos. There, with Clerry Daniel (later H.G. Daniel Mar Philaxenos) as Principal/Warden and V. Rev. Geevarghese Thengumtharayil Cor-Episcopa as Malpan, he studied the Bible, Church History, Theology, and Syriac Music under Fr. Yohannan Parakamoottil.
Being at the primitive stage, the Seminary did not have any convenience for the accommodation or class rooms for the deacons. Warden Clerry Daniel was living in an unprovided room on the Veranda of the Aramana. Dn. Mathews and other inmates used to sleep in classrooms of Catholicate School keeping two benches adjacent as their cot. Clerry Daniel was very keen to attend the needs of deacons and he acted as the beloved local guardian of all inmates. Philaxenos Thirumeni was in place of their father in their home away from home. Mar Basalios himself had exposed that the Mantra taught by the Philaxenos Thirumeni, 'I am nothing', was the life force through out his life.
H.G. Geevarghese Mar Philaxenos was much concerned about the impecunious state of the Church in the spiritual field and deficiency of gifted and spiritually inspired preachers of the Word of God. His Grace could foresee a great hope in Dn. Mathews towards this cause. So Thirumeni was used to take along him, the Deacon to the loneliness of the lawn under the shade of a big tree behind the Catholicate College during the evenings. Thirumeni induced him to read a Bible portion after the night prayer, meditate to God to enlighten the inner eyes to perceive the profundity in depth of the Word of God and to ruminate the ideas behind it, on the bed. In the morning, plentifulness of the spiritual ideas will arise in the mind and these ideas are to be well preserved in the brain. Mar Basalios confessed himself during later years that as he pursued this advice of his Guru, he never had any dearth of commentary and interpretation of the Words of God, throughout his life.
Advanced Theological Education at Serampore College:
After finishing his initial theological training at Basil Dayara, Deacon Mathews returned to Catholicos Mar Basalios Geevarghese. The Catholicos recognized his aptitude for priestly service and ordained him as a full deacon at Pandalam Pongaladi Church, followed by his ordination as a priest in 1939 at the Old Seminary in Kottayam.
Fr. Mathews, driven by a strong desire for advanced theological knowledge, did not wish to confine his service to a single parish. Mar Philaxenos, who had studied at Bishop's College in Serampore (Calcutta) while Fr. P.T. Geevarghese served as a professor there, used to attend the college's annual convocations.
Upon returning from one such convocation, the Catholicos brought the exciting news of a reserved seat for the Malankara Orthodox Church at the college. Without hesitation, he chose Fr. Mathews for this opportunity and secured the Catholicos' approval to sponsor him for higher theological studies, leading Fr. Mathews to proceed to Serampore.
Fr. Mathews was a model student at Serampore College. Even within the college's Protestant environment, he remained disciplined, strictly observing prayer and fasting as he had in Kerala. Beyond Christian theology, he cultivated deep knowledge in the Bhagavad Gita, Quran, Upanishads, and other Vedic literature, forming connections with renowned scholars in theology. His friendship with Fr. Robins of Cambridge Mission was particularly beneficial, as Robins, who had a church in Delhi, granted him permission to celebrate the Holy Qurbana in the Malankara tradition. Later, Fr. Robins became a Protestant bishop. Fr. Mathews's interactions with Fr. Shore, Fr. Macbeth, and Fr. Douglas further refined his understanding of asceticism. After graduating, the college principal, Fr. P.C. Canon, wrote an commendatory letter to the Catholicose, highlighting Fr. Mathews as a significant inspiration to both staff and students.
Services at Othara Dayara:
After accomplishing his higher studies in Calcutta, Fr. Mathews became a dear personality in Malankara. His diocesan Metropolitan and Bethany Ashram Superior Alexios Mar Theodasios desired that Fr. Mathews should join the Bethany Ashram. By this time, Mar Philaxenos envisaged a Dayara at Othara to train deacons. Mar Basalios Geevarghese Bava appointed Fr. Mathews for the service of strengthening the new Othara Dayara.
Accordingly, Fr. Mathews proceeded to his designated new pasture at Othara without even seeing or knowing about the condition of Dayara in advance. At that time, the Othara Dayara was administered with out any central or institutional monetary aid from the Church. It was a small establishment with a three bed room and a kitchen building and an attached small chapel accommodated in 1 Acre 13 Cents land. There was no source of constant income for the Dayara and day to day expenses were met with petty local donations. His mentor and originator of the Dayara, Mar Philexenos also was under severe monetary paucity and lived in a small cottage on the bank of Pothael pond at Chengannoor, even without a cook. This Pothael was later turned as the Bethel Aramana.
Fr. Mathews was struggling very much to meet even the daily food expenditure of the inmates of the Dayara. Virtually he and the inmates were starving in the Dayara. The staple food of the inmates was Bajara and jack fruits grown in their own compound. Rice was a luxury and rare festival feast for the inmates. Many inmates returned to their home due to this starving state of affair of the Dayara. However, Fr. Mathews was very reluctant to expose the scenario to his Guru or any Church authorities. After a while, when Fr. Mathews visited Mar Philaxenos, he was seen turned very thin and swollen due to lack of nutrition. Thirumeni was very upset with the figure of this young priest. Hearing about the new Dayara, many priests and laymen including Fr. K.C. Thomas [Later H.G. Thomas Mar Makarios] started visiting Dayara and they had to satisfy with normal cooked jack fruit and small fish curry lunch of the inmates during noon. While, once, K.C. Mammen Mappila and Elanjickal John Jacob visited Dayara during a noon time, Fr. Mathews was embarrassed to serve them the normal lunch of the inmates. With a quick make-shift arrangement, rice appeared on the dining table. While seeing water stained rice in the plate, the guests could easily make out that it was sudden turnout from Kanji to water drained dry rice. Knowing this pathetic situation of the Dayara, John Philipose arranged to collect paddy from the farmers of Kuttatanadan area after harvest for the inmates of Othara Dayara. Hence forth the Deacons of the Dayara personally used to go and bring this collected paddy from the western provinces of Kerala during the harvest season. By this time a trusted layman, one Pappachen of Mangalam also joined Dayara and helped the inmates for cooking and cleaning. Later Pappachen became the driver and constant associate of Mar Coorilose Thirumeni [Fr. Mathews].
With the enormous theological knowledge gained by Fr. Mathews and with the maturity attained at Othara Dayara, Bava appointed Fr. Mathews to teach in the Old Seminary along with the charge of the Dayara. Augen Mar Timotheos was the Principal of the Seminary during that time. Fr. Mathews used to walk early in the morning to Kallooppara and go by bus to Kottayam and in the evening by bus to Kallooppara and walked back to Othara. This became a daily routine of Fr. Mathews. However, he enjoyed to teach in the Seminary as it was a great opportunity for him to distribute the knowledge he gained in Serampore to the students. H.G. Thomas Mar Makarios was a student of Fr. Mathews in the Seminary, that time. Very incomprehensible theological ideas, Fr. Mathews explained to his students in simple words and common parables.
Service of Fr. Mathews was not restrained to the Seminary and Dayara. He started to travel throughout Malankara conducting retreats and inspiring the faithful in their spiritual experience. His spiritually stimulating divine voice started echoing in Churches, convention halls, youth and student conferences, women’s associations etc. in the east to west and north to south across Malankara. He spoke in simple words and with parables and paradigms of our own surroundings which pierced deep to the mind of the listeners. He used to well prepare in advance even to address small gatherings. Also, he was too emotional and enthusiastic to share his spiritual thoughts with his audience.
While he was a priest, Fr. Mathews served the parishes at Perinadu, Mangalam, Madras, Calcutta and Delhi as vicars. Very beloved Fr. E. Mathews was known as Angel Achen throughout Malankara. On May 17, 1951, Malankara Association held at M.D. Seminary decided to nominate three priests towards His Episcopate: Vattakkunnel Fr. P.K. Mathews, Vaduthala Fr. E. Daniel and Fr. E. Mathews of Othara Dayara. Though Fr. Mathews was bit reluctant to get ordained as a Bishop along with his Guru Fr. E. Daniel, eventually he submitted himself to the will of God. On September 21, 1951 Fr. Mathews was elevated as a Ramban at Old Seminary Kottayam by Mar Basalios Geevarghese II.
Consecration as Mathews Mar Coorilos Metropolitan:
On May 15, 1953 Ramban Mathews was consecrated as Bishop with ecclesiastical title Mathews Mar Coorilos at Elia Chappel, Kottayam. Along with him four other Rambans were also consecrated as Bishop. Vattakkunnel P.K. Mathews Ramban as Mathews Mar Athanasios [Later fifth Catholicos Basalios Mar Thoma Mathews I], Vaduthala E. Daniel Ramban as Daniel Mar Philaxenos, Parott Mathews Ramban as Mathews Mar Ivanios and Mookancheril Pathros Ramban as Pathros Mar Osthathios. The third Catholicos Basalios Geevarghese II celebrated the ordination ceremenony. Mathews Mar Coorilose was at age of 38 years at the time when he was ordained as a bishop. The new Metropolitan was appointed as Asst. Metropolitan to Alexios Mar Theodeosios at Quilon diocese
Though the diocese had more than 100 parishes, most of them were financially stricken and worshipped in thatched sheds. Also many of the Churches were in hilly areas with unprovided approach road. Thirumeni liked to visit each parish and get acquainted with all members of the parishes personally. As it was difficult to run around the diocese without a car, the ex-inmates of Othara Dayara formed an association and 100 members took Rs. 100 each and bought an Austin Car for him. Later when Mar Theodeosius expired Mar Coorilose became the full Metropolitan of Quilon diocese. After his consecration as a Metropolitan he served the Church in many capacities. He was also nominated as the president of All Malankara Youth movement. From 1958 onwards he started publishing the 'Orthodox Youth' magazine from Kundara. He had ready organized a women wing 'Martha Mariam Samajam' all over the diocese.
Coorilose Thirumeni was instrumental for regular worshipping service and origination of two diocese of Malankara: Delhi and USA. During the early days celebration of Holy Eucharist in Delhi was conducted on availability of any visiting priest. From 1942 onwards, some regularity came to be introduced by Fr. Mathews by conducting Holy Qurbana twice a month as he traveled regularly from Serampore College to Delhi, when he was a student there and conducted Holy Qurbana at his friend Fr. Robin's Church in Delhi. The worshipping story of the diocese of USA is also inspiring and fulfilling. The history of the Orthodox congregation in USA began to unfold from 1960s. Mathews Mar Coolrilos Thirumeni was studying in the Union Theological Seminary, New York, during that time. The services started with a humble beginning in the worshipping congregation headed by the saintly bishop Mathews Mar Coorilose at Union Theological Seminary. Both these two seeds had now grown up as mighty big trees and as two great pillars of Orthodox Church: Delhi Diocese with its magnificent Orthodox Church Centre and diocese of North America and its offshoots of Canada, Europe etc.
Thirumeni was a great visionary in the field of social and educational services. He had a great vision that rendering higher education for the children can create a cultured and refined society. As a first step, he established the first school in the diocese, St. Thomas School at Kadampanad. Later, three other schools were started: UPS at Kottarakkara, LPS at Adoor and H.S. at Mangad. Further many unaided schools were started in the diocese. As per great desire of Thirumeni, a college of was also established at Kottarakkara.
Thirumeni believed that moral strength of the church and its manifold services depend upon a dedicated band of Sanyasins who live for poor and he could give a new lead of spiritual life to the monastic movements of the church. He architected many Ashrams across Malankara and outside. Mathews Mar Coorilose founded the Bethlehem Ashram, in Chengamanad in 1960. The priests of the ashram in Chengamanad are engaged in the activities related to St.Gregorios College, Kottarakara, B. Ed College, Chengamanad I.T.C, and School and in discharging the responsibilities of the different parishes of the Kollam - Thiruvanthapuam dioceses. Kuttikonam Bethel Ashram, Kottarakara Mount Ashram, Pattazhi Calvary Ashram,Chengamanad I.T.C, St. Gregorios College, Kottarakara, B. Ed College and Baselios School, Kottapuram are the different institutions attached to the Ashram. St. Thomas home for Chidren at Sasthamkotta was started by Mar Coorilose in 1983 for the refuge of poor and orphan children and their education.
Sasthamkotta Mount Horeb Ashram and Bible College was established with aim of social and educational activities, ascetic life training, spiritual confederations etc. Short course of one-month faith and bible class are conduced very efficiently here. Eventually this Ashram had turned out as his eternal resting place for his mortals as per his special wish. St. George Mount ashram was started in Chayalode on March 2,1968. Leadership is here being given for spiritual - social- educational activities. The Chayalode St. Goerge High School [1976] and U.P School [1960] are owned by the Ashram. In 1976, Mar Coorilose founded the Bethel Ashram in Kuttikonam as a branch of Bethelehem Ashram in Chengamanad. Later St. Gregorios English Medium L.P.School and Malayalam Medium U.P School were started and got associated with this Ashram. Calvary Ashram in Pattazhi was started in 1976 with objectives of social and educational activities, training the inmates in monastic life and spiritual discipline. In 1978 Metropolitan founded St. Thomas Ashram in Sooranad. Mar Coorilose founded in 1978 the Mount Carmel Ashram in East Kallada in order to set up educational institutions in the name of Mar Elia, the prophet. In 1978, adjacent to the ashram an I.T.C and in 1982 an English Medium
School was started.
In his reminiscences, the Most Reverend Philipose Mar Chrysostom (who later became the Marthoma Metropolitan of the Marthoma Church) included a small, satirical note regarding his experience witnessing the humility of Mathews Mar Coorilose Thirumeni.
Both Thirumenis attended an ecumenical conference and, by chance, shared a guest apartment room. After a day of hard work and travel, Chrysostom Thirumeni changed his soiled clothes and left them in a corner of the apartment.
The next day, as Chrysostom Thirumeni was looking for his clothes to pack them up, he was surprised to find they were missing and briefly wondered if someone had stolen them. When he went to the balcony, however, he saw all the clothes had been neatly washed and spread out on the drying lines. He then realized that Coorilose Thirumeni had woken up early that morning, washed the clothes belonging to both of them, and hung them up to dry.
Consecration as the Sixth Catholicos:
On May 1, 1980, the Malankara Association elected Mathews Mar Coorilose as the successor to the throne of Catholicos of the East and Malankara Metropolitan. Due to ill health, the fifth Catholicos abdicated his position as Catholicos and Malankara Metropolitan on April 27, 1991. Consecutively, the Catholiose designate Mathews Mar Coorilose was consecrated as the Sixth Catholicos with title Basalios Marthoma Mathews II on April 29, 1991 at Parumala Seminary Church. Dr. Philipose Mar Theophilus was the chief celebrant of the consecration ceremony. Thus, eventually the apple of eye to each Malankarite, Angel Achen, became sixth Catholocos of Malankara and all the East. After being the prelate of Orthodox Church for 16 years Marthoma Mathews 1 expired on November 8, 1996 at the age of 90 years. Mar Basalios II was very keen for attending to his sick predecessor. Basalios I Bava who was sick on his bed for 7 years, three days before his death, handed over all the documents of the church to his successor Basalios II.
The sixth Catholicos Mar Basalios II is identified as the first Catholicos of the modern age. However, he was on a thorny bed ever since he was consecrated as the prelate. However he faced all the problems with calmness, confidence, prayer and with full confidence in God with a full smile on face and heart always till he breathed his last. On the very next day of consecration as the Catholicos, he ordained five Bishops for Malankara Orthodox Church. On March 26, 1995 the new Catholicos has done the Mooron consecration.
As seen earlier, he was the chief architect of the development and growth of many educational institutions, charitable homes, seminaries etc. from the time he was a Metropolitan. Sasthamkotta Bible College and St. Thomas Orthodox Theological Seminary, Nagpur were founded in addition to the growth of his favorite Othara Dayara for the education and training of the future priests of the church. Orthodox Theological Seminary was established in Bhilai in 1995. Two engineering colleges were started one at Peerumed and another at Sasthamkotta. The engineering college at Sasathamkotta is named after him as Baselios Mathew II College of Engineering. The Bilai Engineering College also had taken its shape during the tenure of sixth Catholicos. Basalios Marthoma Mathews II also started many other charitable institutions. Mar Basalios Mathews II
Snehabhavan Kottarakkara was originated for deaf and dump children and their education. He initiated several programmes to facilitate aid to the poor for building houses, employment opportunities and also launched a group marriage programme for conducting marriages of those girls who hail from economically backward homes. Establishment of Mar Theodesius Hospital at Sasthamkotta, elevating the Kolenchery Medical Mission Hospital into a Medical College, development of hospitals in Kangazha and Parumala, establishment of Civil Services Academy in Thiruvananthapuram etc. also goes to the credit of the sixth Catholicos.
St. Gregorios of Parumala built the Old St. Pauls and St. Peter Parumala church in the pattern of the Jerusalem Church in 1895. The old church was demolished and Basalios II built a modern Parumala church with design of world famous Architect Charles Korea.
Ecumenical Relations:
During his tenure as the prelate of the Malankara Orthodox Church, Mar Basalios II maintained a very harmonious relation with other Christian denominations and other religious sects of Kerala. Mar Basalios was very keen and enthusiastic for promoting the ecumenical movements in India ever since its inception in 1979. He was one among the founders of the Ecumenical Movement in Kerala. Official ecumenical dialogue with Roman Catholic Church was commenced from 1989. The whole church under his leadership was always well associating with the Christian Orient and its projects. He advocated for complete liquor prohibition and strongly believed that liquor is the cause for ruin of many families in Kerala.
Mar Basalios played a key role in amicably resolving the Nilackal issue, which could have snowballed into a major communal problem in the State. He was the President of Ecumenical Committee and Chairman of Nilackal Ecumenical Church Committee, which is the symbol of unity among various Churches in the State. Consequently, he had taken upon himself the mission of spreading the message of love and generosity. He displayed his great leadership quality on this and several other occasions. He always stood for peace in the Church and made many sacrifices to achieve peace. An Ecumenical Priests Gathering was formulated as an offshoot of the Nilackal Ecumenical Trust in which priests of most of the church denominations from the Central and South Kerala actively participated. The Christian Orient theologically supported all the ecumenical endeavors with the Council’s vision on ecumenism.
Mar Basalios also met with various world religious heads, including the then Pope. He was a very widely traveled religious head who visited the Middle Eastern Countries, Europe and United States of America many times. On his visits the state's heads paid him due respect and admiration. On April 9 1995, the Catholicos participated the consecration of Armenian Supreme Catholicos at Echmiodos.
Navathy celebrations of the sixth Catholicos were celebrated and on the culmination of the yearlong fete, on his 91st birthday he was accorded a rousing reception at the Kannamkode Church, Adoor. The Hon. Chief Minister of Kerala, Mr. Oommen Chandy, Water Resources Minister, Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan, Food and Civil Supplies Minister, Adoor Prakash, M.P [Later Central Minister] Vayalar Ravi and many other political, social and religious dignitaries were present during the occasion which was a clear mark of the influence and honor of Thirumeni in various circles.
It's worthy to share an experience recounted by Rt. Rev. Joseph Mar Barnabas Thirumeni of Marthoma Church during the Maramon Convention, concerning the deep zeal of Basalios Marthoma Mathews II for celebrating the Holy Qurbana. He stated, (Quote)There's no one in this world, whether participant or celebrant, who ever tires of repeatedly celebrating the Holy Qurbana. I once visited Philipose Mar Eusabius Metropolitan while he was ill. As we shared memories, he brought up Mar Baselios Marthoma Mathews II, with whom we shared many acquaintances. Mar Eusabius recalled an incident: Bava was consecrating a new church in Kerala with two young Bishops (Methrans). Bava was 90 years then. After completing the first part of the consecration the previous evening, he seemed very tired and unwell. He told the young Bishops that he was too weary and might not make it early the next day, asking them to lead the second part and the Qurbana. But the next morning, around 8 AM, when the young Bishop arrived, they found Bava already vested and beginning the Matins and the Holy Qurbana! After the service, Bava told them, I am 90 now, and any day I might leave this world. I didn't want to miss this 'one more' chance to celebrate the Holy Qurbana.
This 'one more' chance to celebrate or partake in the Holy Qurbana is a mysterious, profound yearning in everyone's heart.(/Quote)
Last Days:
Due to ill health, the sixth Catholicos abdicated the position as the Supreme Head of the Church on 25th Oct. 2005 and lived a rest life at Devalokam Aramana, Kottayam. He had the great fortune to attend the enthronement of his successor His Holiness Baselios Marthoma Didimos I and H.H. graciously handed over his staff to Mar Didimos on 29th Oct. 2005.
His Holiness departed for heavenly abode on Thursday the 26th of January 2006, at the Devalokam Aramana, Kottayam at the age of 91 years. The mortal remains were carried to Mount Horeb Asram Chapel in Sasathaamkotta and interred there on January 30, 2006.
Mar Basalios was the symbol and apostle of love, peace, godliness and universal brotherhood with a great leadership quality. He respected and cared for the rich and poor. He mingled with young and old and all kind of people. His personal relationships even with the poorest of poor were well known. He was not mere a father of Orthodox believers, he was loving father of all the people of Kerala who lives in and out of Kerala and to all who he met during his long life. During the tenure of the sixth Catholicos Basalios Marthoma Mathews II the church had grown to a universal Church with four and half million members all over the world in 22 Dioceses, 1395 Parishes, 205 Chapels.
(If you liked the Article please share it with your friends, subscribe for Updates or Send your Feedback clicking button below]
 Subscribe for EMail Updates / Send Feedback |
|
|
