Rev. Fr.
Thomas Itty was elevated to the rank of
Chorepiscopus on
26th April, 1987 by late Archbishop H. E. Athanasius
Y Samuel assisted by His Grace Thomas Mar
Dionysius (present Catholicose H.B. Baselius
Thomas I). Thomas Itty was born on
1st July, 1950 in the Vallikadu (Thempallil)
Family to Mr. Mani Thomas and Mrs. Annamma
Thomas, as the youngest of their four
children.
Thomas
Itty had his primary education at
CMS L
P School , Amayannoor and Upper
Primary and High School education at the
Amayannoor High
School in Kottayam district. On completion
of High School Itty joined the
Baselius College ,
Kottayam, for the Pre-Degree and Degree
courses and graduated with a Bachelors
degree in Economics. After graduation Itty served
as a teacher at
Pioneer Arts
College , Pampady and later as an Economic Investigator
under the Central Government of India.
In
1975 on February 2nd Itty married Aleyamma (Kunjamma)
second of three children of Mr. Kurian
Cherian and Mariamma Cherian of Chennikkara
family, Areepparampu, Kottayam and both came
to U S A in July, 1976 and settled in
Chicago . Thomas Itty was ordained Korooyo by late
Catholicose H. B. Baselious Paulose II on
July 15, 1979 at St. Peter’s Syrian Orthodox
Church, Chicago on the special request and
interest of his home parish priest, V. Rev.
Thomas Mattathil Cor Episcopus, who imparted
early instruction in acolytic service and
later in liturgical rites. Rev Fr. John
Jacob (H.E.Yuhanon Mor Philoxinose) and Rev.
Fr. Abraham Aluckal (H.G.Abraham Mar
Severios) also were instrumental in
imparting training to Dn. Itty in liturgical
rites. In 1981 January Korooyo Thomas Itty
was ordained as Youfadyakino and shamshono
at Perumpally St. George Simhasana Church on
4th and as Kasheesho on
January 6, 1981 at St. Mary’s church
Manarcad by late Metropolitan of Kottayam
diocese, H.G. Mor Gregorius Gheevarghese.
Fr. Itty assisted Fr. Abraham Aluckal as an
officiating priest in St. Peter’s church,
Chicago until his appointment as Vicar of
St. Mary’s Syrian Orthodox Church, Houston
in August 1981.
In
September 1981, Fr. Thomas Itty moved to
Houston and took charge of the
Houston parish. Even after relocation to
Houston he pursued his Religious Studies and was
awarded Doctor of Philosophy Degree for his
dissertation “An inquiry into the Nature and
scope of Pastoral Ministry” by Pacific
Western University. He served St. Mary’s
Church, Houston
for twenty three years. The present facilities were
built during this period. The parish’s
Silver Jubilee was celebrated in 2002
August. Itty Chorepiscopa is now serving as the
Vicar of St. Peter's Syriac Orthodox Church
since its inception on January 1, 2005.
Chorepiscopa Thomas Itty and Aleyama have two
children – Tony and Donny. Tony is married
to Angela and Donny is in college.
