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 Catholicos
Baselius Thomas I was born in the Cheruvillil family of
Vadayambadi Puthenkurishu to Mathai and Kunjamma on July 22,
1929. As a child, a stray dog bit Thomas frightening the little
boy. Subsequently he had frequent bouts of illness which
affected his education. His mother used to take the young boy
frequently to the nearby Malekurishu Dayro where the relics of
late Patriarch St. Elias III 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.
His priestly formation was under the guidance of
Mor Philoxenos Paulos
(later Catholicos Paulos II) who ordained him korooyo
in 1952 and shamshono at Kadamattom Church in 1957. In
1958, he was ordained priest by
Mor Yulius Elias Qoro
in September 1958 at
Manjinikkara.
He was the 43rd priest from the Cheruvillil family. Fr. C.M.
Thomas served as the vicar of St. Peter's church, Puthenkurishu
from 1959 while also serving churches at Vellathooval,
Keezhumuri, Fort Cochin, Valamboor and later at Calcutta and
Trichur. In 1960, while vicar at Puthenkurish, he played a key
role in rebuilding the church; parishioners fondly recollect
their priest working with them during the reconstruction. From
1967-74, he served as the organizing secretary of Kolenchery
Medical Mission Hospital. In 1970, he served as the organizer
for the North Indian mission at Bhilai and in 1974 as the
secretary of the Pourasthaya Suvishesha Samajam. Since his
ordination as korooyo, at age 24, Thomas was active in
preaching the gospel in the remote parts of Kerala. From his
vision and zeal to spread the gospel arose the St. Paul's prayer
fellowship and the Puthenkurish gospel convention which is held
annually from December 26-31. Fr. Thomas was elected to the
episcopate by the Malankara Jacobite Syrian Christian
Association meeting at
Karingachira St. George Church
in January 1974 and was consecrated metropolitan of the Ankamaly
diocese, the largest Syriac Orthodox diocese, by
H.H. Mor Ignatius Ya`qub III
on February 24, 1974 at Damascus along
with
Mor Gregorius Gheevarghese.
The two metropolitans played a significant role in leading the
church during the crisis of the seventies. After the passing
away of late Mor Gregorius Gheevarghese in February 1999 , Mor
Dionysius assumed the Presidency of the Malankara Syrian
Orthodox Church Synod (Patriarch Faction) and was elected
Catholicose-Designate at the delegates meeting held at
Puthenkurishu on December 27, 2000 and again by the Malankara
Association reconstituted under the newly formed constitution on
June 6, 2002. On July 26, 2002, Mor Dionysius was consecrated
Catholicos by H.H. Patriarch
Mor Ignatius Zakka I Iwas
at Ma`rat Sayyidnaya, Damascus. |
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