His Beatitude Catholicos Baselios Thomas I (July 22, 1929) is Maphriyono/Catholicos of Syriac Orthodox Church and the regional head of Malankara Syriac Orthodox Church. His official Title is Catholicose of India although sometimes called Catholicose of the East. It was on 26th July 2002 His Beatitude was enthroned as the Catholicos and the head of the Church in India. He is the regional head of the 1.5 million Syriac Christians of India, a Christian community believed to have been established by Apostle St. Thomas in a place called Maliyankara, near North Paravur in South India in AD. 52.
Catholicos Baselios Thomas I was born in the Cheruvillil family of Vadayambadi in Puthenkurishu to Mathai and Kunjamma on July 22, 1929. Early part of the life of Mor Baselios Thomas I was full of sufferings. Though he belonged to an aristocratic family, by the time he was born the family had seen bad days. 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.
Priesthood
His priestly formation was under the guidance of Mor Philoxenos Paulos (later Catholicos Baselios Paulose II) who ordained him korooyo in 1952 and mshamshono 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 Mookkannur, 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.
Episcopacy
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 Perumballil. 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.
Catholicos/Maphrian Ordination
On Friday the 26th July 2002, His Holiness Moran Mor Ignatius Zakka I Iwas the Patriarch of Antioch & all the East, consecrated the 73-year old Mor Dionysius Thomas as the CATHOLICOS with the title 'BASELIOS THOMAS I' at a solemn function held at the St. Peter & St. Paul Cathedral in Mor Ephrem Monastery, Ma`arat Sayyidnaya, near Damascus. Thus, fulfilling the wishes of multitude of faithful, the Malankara Church received a Catholicos after a gap of six years (Catholicos Mor Baselios Paulose II died in 1996). In the Syrian Orthodox Church hierarchy, the Catholicos is second in rank to the supreme spiritual head, the Patriarch of Antioch.
Fourteen Syrian Orthodox Bishops, from India, Syria, Sweden, Netherlands, Germany, Lebanon, Jerusalem, Turkey and Australia attended the enthronement ceremony as the co-celebrants. Thirty five Rambans, many Nuns of the Church and lay people were also present on the occasion to participate in the historical ceremony. Representatives from Government of Syria & India attended the consecration ceremony as special guests. Besides the three Metropolitans who were the co-celebrants, the Church in India was represented by Very Rev Eraalil Geevarghese Ramban (Kerala), Rev. Fr. Prince Mookkanottil (Vicar Mor Ignatius Syrian Orthodox Church Dubai), Rev. Fr. Eldho Valiya Parambil (Vicar-St.George Abu Dhabi), Rev. Fr. Kurian Maliyil (Vicar Sharjah), Rev.Fr. Mathews (Muscat) and Rev. Fr. Varghese Maikkulangara (Kerala).
The consecration ceremony started with the celebration of Holy Qurbono at 8 AM by His Holiness the Patriarch, followed by enthronement ceremony, signing of 'SUSTHATHIKON' (Agreement) and 'OKSIOS' (Rising and Declaration). The ceremonial Services ended with the completion of the Holy Qurbono by the newly consecrated Catholicos.
After the enthronement ceremony a reception was given to the Catholicos His Beatitude Mor Baselios Thomas the First. During the speech delivered on the occasion, His Holiness emphasized the commitment of the Holy See to the Church in India. Replying to the congratulatory messages, His Beatitude the Catholicos Aboon Mor Baselios Thomas I reiterated that he like his predecessors, will always take great care in the continuance of the faith and traditions of the Syrian Church.
Catholicate Office
The Catholicate office of His Beatitude Mor Baselios Thomas I functions at the Mor Ignatius Zakka I centre in Puthencruz near Kochi, which is also the headquarters of the Syrian Orthodox Church in India. His Beatitude resides at Mor Ignatius Seminary at Kothamangalam in Ernakulam district.
Aboon Mor Baselios Thomas I - Important dates
Date of Birth - 22nd July 1929
Ordained 'Korooyo' & 'Shamshono' by Catholicos Mor Baselios Paulose II - 1957
Ordained 'Kassisso' by Mor Yulius Elias (Patriarchal delegate) - 1958
Ordained Metropolitan by Patriarch Ignatius Yakoob III - 24th February 1974
Elected President of Holy Episcopal Synod of Malankara - 23rd February 1999
Chosen as the Catholicos-designate - 27th December 2000
Malankara Church accepting the new constitution - 06th July 2002
Consecrated as CATHOLICOS - 26th July 2002
Catholicate Office
The Catholicate office of His Beatitude Baselios Thomas I functions at the Patriarchal centre in Puthencuriz near Kochi, which is also the headquarters of the Syrian Orthodox Church in India. His Beatitude resides at Mor Ignatius Seminary at Kothamangalam.
Patriarch Ignatius Centre,
Puthencruz P.O, Ernakulam Dist.-682 308.
Kerala, INDIA
Tel: 0091-484-2732804, Fax: 0091-484-2732624
OR
Mor Ignatius Seminary,
Kothamangalam, Ernakulam Dist.-686 691.
Kerala, INDIA
Tel: 0091-485-2822197(P), 2822101 (P), 2822485(O)
