Ivanios Geevarghese Panikkervettil | |
---|---|
First Metropolitan Archbishop of Trivandrum, Founder and First head of the Syro Malankara Catholic Church. | |
Church | Syro-Malankara Catholic Church |
See | Syro-Malankara Catholic Major Archeparchy of Trivandrum |
Installed | 11 June 1932 |
Term ended | 15 July 1953 |
Predecessor | None (seat created) |
Successor | Aboun Mor Benedict Gregorios Thangalathil OIC |
Orders | |
Ordination | 15 September 1908 by Vattasseril Dionysius |
Consecration | 1 May 1925 by Baselios Geevarghese I |
Personal details | |
Born | P. T Geevarghese 21 September 1882 Mavelikkara, Kerala |
Died | 15 July 1953 70) Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala | (aged
Buried | Saint Mary's Malankara Syrian Catholic Cathedral Church, Pattom, Trivandrum |
Nationality | India |
Previous post(s) | Metropolitan Archbishop of Bethany Ashram of Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church |
Aboun Mor Ivanios "P. T." Geevarghese Panikkervettil, OIC (born 21 September 1882 as Panikkervettil Thomas Panicker Geevarghese - died 15 July 1953) was the first metropolitan archbishop of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church and Major Archdiocese of Trivandrum. [1] He was the founder of Bethany Ashram for monks in Order of Imitation Christ (OIC) and Bethany Madam order of nuns. He was the first M.A. degree holder in the Kerala or Malankara Church. He also served as the principal of the Kottayam M.D Seminary High School and as a professor at Serampore College. He is a candidate for sainthood in the Catholic Church, having been declared a Servant of God by Cardinal Baselios Cleemis Thottungal in 2007 and Venerable by Pope Francis in 2024.
P. T Geevarghese was born in Mavelikkara, Kerala, India, on 21 September 1882 to Thomas Panicker and Annamma Panicker.
He was a descendant of the aristocratic tharavad of Panickervettil in Mavelikkara within the erstwhile Indian princely state of Travancore, currently in the Alappuzha district of Kerala. The Panickervettil family was honored with the title of 'Mylitta Panicker' bestowed upon by the Travancore rulers.
P. T Geevarghese had his early education in Protestant and government schools. From 1897 he attended M. D. Seminary High School, Kottayam and pursued his higher studies at Serampore College and Madras Christian College (M.C.C.). He completed his matriculation education in 1899: before which he received minor orders (of clerical life) on 20 September 1898. [2]
He was ordained a deacon by Pulikkottil Dionysius then the Malankara Metropolitan of Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church on 9 January 1900, he then continued his studies at CMS College, Kottayam and obtained a bachelor's degree in economics and Indian History from Madras Christian College. In 1907 he took a Master's Degree (MA) with distinction from the same college. On his return from Madras he was appointed principal of his alma mater, M.D. Seminary High School. During this time he led various schemes for the renewal of the Malankara Church. He organized basic church communities, commenced Bible conventions, because of this he was popularly entitled "Koodasa Semmasan" (Deacon of Sacraments). [3]
He was ordained to the priesthood as P.T. Geevarghese on 15 September 1908 by Vattasseril Dionysius then the Malankara Metropolitan of Malankara Orthodox Church. Geevarghese was popularly known as M A Achan, as he was the first priest with an MA degree in Malankara. [4] At the same time, he took the initiative to empower the Malankara Church with hierarchical autonomy. He became instrumental to erect Catholicate for the Malankara Church on 5 September 1912. After the establishment of Catholicate in 1912 Malankara Church divided into two, one under the leadership of Malankara Metropolitan Vatteseril Dionysius (bishop's party) and one under Anthiochan Jacobite Patriarch (Bava Party). Geevarghese was belonging to Bishop's party.
In 1912 Vattasseril Dionysius received an invitation to attend a conference at Calcutta. Dionysius selected Geevarghese to accompany him to Calcutta to attend the conference. At the conference, they met Dr. Howels the principal of Serampore College who requested the Metropolitan to avail the service of Geevarghese as the professor of the College. The metropolitan permitted Geevarghese to take up the task. He made use of this opportunity to educate the Malankara Youth. About 20 young people from Kerala reached Calcutta for higher education. [5]
At Serampore, Geevarghese got more time for prayer and contemplation. He came across the writings of Basil of Caesarea on monasticism. The Basilian monastic vision had a great influence on him. Besides the visits to the Sabarmati Ashram of Mahatma Gandhi and Santiniketan of Rabindranath Tagore gave him a new vision of Indian Sanyasa (monasticism). These experiences made him to reflect upon starting an order of missionaries to carry out the task of evangelization in India. [6] Slowly the residence of Geevarghese and his followers at Serampore became an Ashram (Monastery), and they began to live a sort of religious life according to the monastic rules of St. Basil, adapting them to Indian culture. [7] As he accepted this as his way of life, he resigned from the Serampore College.
On his return from Calcutta, Geevarghese looked for a location to establish an ashram. One of his friends E. John Vakeel donated 100 acres (400,000 m2) of land at Mundanmala, Ranni-Perunadu, Kerala at the meeting place of the rivers Pampa and Kakkatt. The place was thickly filled with thorny bushes and herbs. Geevarghese and his followers built a small thatched hut made out of the branches of trees and bamboo. This turned to be the first ashram in Malankara on 15 August 1919. He prayerfully searched for a name for the ashram and opened the Bible and he got the word "Bethany". He meditated upon it and came to the conclusion that it was an apt name for a religious order which upholds both contemplation and action. [8] Eventually the Bethany Ashram became a place of pilgrimage and spiritual experience. Spiritual retreats and discourses were given by Geevarghese especially in Passion Week. Geevarghese envisioned the ashram also being a shelter for the poor and the marginalized. Along with the Ashram, he started a house for the orphans.
While at Serampore Geevarghese was thinking of the empowerment of the Syrian Christian women through education. To realize this idea, he took initiative to give education and training to the selected group of young girls with the help of the Epiphany Sisters of England working at Serampore. He founded the Bethany Madom (literally Bethany Great House or convent) for the women religious in 1925.
It was decided by the Malankara Synod to ordain Geevarghese as the Bishop of Bethany. He was ordained a bishop of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church by Baselios Geevarghese I on 1 May 1925. He received the name Geevarghese Ivanios. [9]
On 20 September 1930, Theophilos, John Kuzhinapurath, Alexander Attupurath, and Chacko Kiliyileth made the Catholic profession of faith before Aloysius Maria Benziger, the then Bishop of Kollam. Many of the members of the Bethany orders also came into full communion with the Catholic Church. This spawned the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church.
In 1932 Geevarghese made a pilgrimage to Rome for the reunion as per the letters from Rome and met Pope Pius XI. Geevarghese received the pallium. He also participated in the thirty-second Eucharistic Congress held at Dublin, Ireland. There he met G.K. Chesterton, who said to Geevarghese "The dignified Indian gentleman, who represented this far off triumph in the Orient, had changed his neighbours by bringing them to the Roman Communion." [10]
On his return from Rome, Geevarghese made efforts to build up the Unite Rite establishment of the Malankara Christian Community. Pope Pius XI established the Malankara Catholic hierarchy, Syro-Malankara Catholic on 11 June 1932 through the apostolic constitution Cristo pastorum principi. [11]
Geevarghese sent missionaries to different parts of the land. Besides the newly joined bishops and priests from different Malankara denominations, he received missionaries from the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church. Joseph Kuzhinjalil, the founder of the congregation of the Daughters of Mary, was a missionary appointed by Geevarghese to work in the southern parts of the land. Under Geevarghese's leadership about 75 priests were joined from different denominations of the Malankara Church. About 150 parishes including mission stations were established. [12] A lot of hindus (especially from Nadar (caste) community) also joined the Syro Malankara Catholic Church from Kanyakumari of the marthandam diocese in Tamil Nadu. [13]
Geevarghese established about 50 schools, and one 'A' grade college, named Mar Ivanios College. [14] He visited U.S. President Harry S Truman, G.K. Chesterton, King George V of the United Kingdom, and George Bernard Shaw.
The Silver Jubilee of the episcopal ordination of Geevarghese was celebrated in 1951, and Pope Pius XII wrote to him remembering the reconciliation. [15]
Geevarghese died on 15 July 1953 and was entombed at Saint Mary's Cathedral, Pattom, Trivandrum.
Girideepam - Mountain Lamp, Trans. Sr. Rehmas SIC, Cause of Canonization of Mar Ivanios, Trivandrum, 2006.
The Sacrament of Confession: A Meditative Study, Trans. Fr. Samuel Thaikkoottathil Ramban, Cause of Canonization of Mar Ivanios, Trivandrum, 2006.
The Holy Qurbono: An Appraisal and Meditation, Trans. Dr. Bishop Thomas Mar Anthonios (Antony Valiyavilayil OIC), Cause of Canonization of Mar Ivanios, Trivandrum, 2006.
The Liturgical Year: A Theological Reflection, Trans. Fr. Samuel Thaikkoottathil Ramban, Cause of Canonization of Mar Ivanios, Trivandrum, 2006.
A Guide to Malankara Religious Life, Trans. Fr. Samuel Thaikkoottathil Ramban, Cause of Canonization of Mar Ivanios, Trivandrum, 2006.
Geevarghese was declared Servant of God (Daivadasan) a first step toward sainthood on 14 July 2007, the day prior to the 54th anniversary of his death. The proclamation was read by his third successor Cardinal Baselios Cleemis at Saint Mary's Malankara Syrian Catholic Cathedral in Trivandrum, India and the cause for his canonization will continue. On 14 March 2024, Pope Francis Approved Archbishop Geevarghese Mar Ivanios's practice of heroic virtues and declared him Venerable. [16]
The Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church (MOSC) also known as the Indian Orthodox Church (IOC) or simply as the Malankara Church, is an autocephalous Oriental Orthodox church headquartered in Devalokam, near Kottayam, India. It serves India's Saint Thomas Christian population. According to tradition, these communities originated in the missions of Thomas the Apostle in the 1st century. It employs the Malankara Rite, an Indian form of the West Syriac liturgical rite.
The Syro-Malankara Catholic Church, also known as the Malankara Syrian Catholic Church, is an Eastern Catholic sui iuris particular church in full communion with the worldwide Catholic Church possessing self-governance under the Code of Canons of the Eastern Churches. It is one of the major archiepiscopal churches of the Catholic Church. It is headed by Major Archbishop Baselios Cardinal Cleemis Catholicos of the Major Archdiocese of Trivandrum based in Kerala, India. With more than 1096 parishes, its one of India's biggest church evangelical establishments.
Baselios Marthoma Didymus I born C. T. Thomas was the primate of the Malankara Orthodox Church from 2005 to 2010. He was the 7th Catholicos of the East since the Catholicate of the East was established India and the 20th Malankara Metropolitan. He was the 7th Catholicos of East.
Nalanchira is a suburb of Thiruvananthapuram the capital of Kerala state in India. It is an educational hub of Kerala, situated between Mannanthala and Pananvila. Nalanchira is approximately 8 km from the Thiruvananthapuram railway station and 11 km away from Thiruvananthapuram International Airport. The Main Central Road runs through this place. This middle-class residential locality is famous for its educational and social service institutions. The Nalanchira Bethany Hills were originally owned by a chettiar and was given to Mar Ivanios the founder of Syro-Malankara Catholic (MSC) Church to start an educational institution. The main residential areas are Benedict Nagar, Christian medical centre (CMC) lane, Parakodu lane, Mangalathu Lane, Convent Lane, Rajeev Gandhi Nagar, Puliyoor Gardens, Rose Nagar, Akshaya Gardens, Shawallace Lane, Thattinakam Souhrda Residents Association, Parkanthara Lane, Post Office Lane, Chathiode Lane, Udayannoor Lane, Kurishadi Jn., Anupama Nagar, Bethany Nagar Lane and Jayamatha Lane.
St. Mary's Malankara Syrian Catholic Cathedral, Pattom, Trivandrum is the central place of worship of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church. It is the seat of the Major Archbishop of Trivandrum. The tombs of the Servant of God Archbishop Geevarghese Mar Ivanios, Archbishop Benedict Mar Gregorios and of Major Archbishop Cyril Baselios Catholicos are located here.
John Kuzhinapurath, OIC, (1904–1994), a great philanthropist was among the first priests who united with the Catholic Church along with Archbishop Mar Ivanios on 20 September 1930 in the process of the formation of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church.
Benedict Mor Gregorios was the second metropolitan archbishop of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church.
Geevarghese Mar Dionysius of Vattasseril popularly known as Vattasseril Thirumeni was a bishop of the Malankara Church and 15th Malankara Metropolitan. In 2003, the Church declared Mar Dionysius as a saint. He is known as 'The Great Luminary of Malankara Church', a title which the Church bestowed on him in recognition of his contribution to the Church.
The Syro-Malankara Catholic Eparchy of Bathery is an eparchy of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church in Sulthan Bathery, in Kerala, India. As of 2024 Aboon Joseph Mar Thomas was the bishop. The seat of the eparchy is at St. Thomas Syro-Malankara Catholic Cathedral in Sulthan Bathery.
Baselios Augen I was the 17th Malankara Metropolitan, the fourth Catholicos of the East in the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, and the first Catholicos of India in the Jacobite Syriac Orthodox Church. He was the first Catholicos consecrated in a reunified Malankara Church, by the Patriarch of Antioch in 1964 but his tenure saw a second split in the Holy Church.
Geevarghese Panicker (1924–2008) was a priest, teacher, guide, and educationalist of Syro-Malankara Catholic Church.
Jacob Mor Theophilos was the co-builder of the Reunion Movement and the first Metropolitan bishop of the Eparchy of Thiruvalla of the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church.
Bethany Ashram, Perunadu, Ranni is the first Ashram of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. It was established by P. T. Geevarghese, later Archbishop Ivanios and Alexios, later Alexios Thevodosios. The Ashram follows the religious order called Order of the Imitation of Christ (O.I.C.).
Sacred Heart Malankara Syrian Catholic Church or referred as S H Church is located in the village of Mylapra, near Pathanamthitta, on the road side of the Main Eastern Highway in the Indian state of Kerala. It is home to one of the first Syro-Malankara Catholic Church communities and is the biggest and oldest established church in the Eparchy of Pathanamthitta. This church is the patron of two schools, Mount Bethany EHSS and S H Higher Secondary School.
Baselios Marthoma Paulose II ; 30 August 1946 – 12 July 2021) was the primate of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. He was ordained in 1973, consecrated in 1985 and enthroned as the 8th Catholicos of the Malankara Church and the 21st Malankara Metropolitan on 1 November 2010, succeeding Didymos I.
Joseph Mar Severus was a Syro-Malankara Catholic Metropolitan Arch Bishop of Tiruvalla. His birth name was Joseph Valakuzhy..
Geevarghese Mar Philoxenos aka Puthencavil Kochu Thirumeni was an administrator, orator and an advocate of Orthodox and the Catholicate of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church of India. He served as Metropolitan of Thumpamon Diocese from 1930 to 1951.
Thumpamon Diocese is one of the 30 dioceses of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church. The diocese was created after the Mulanthuruthy Synod in 1876. H.G. Abraham Mar Seraphim is the Metropolitan of the diocese. The head office is located in St. Basil Aramana, Pathanamthitta. The diocese was named Thumpamon Diocese, opted from "Thumpamon pally" where St.Gregorious of Parumala had lived his ministerial life and had been in the administration of Thumpamon diocese.
Geevarghese alongside Varughese, Varghese, Verghese, Varkey, Varughis, and Vergis are Syriac–Malayalam variants of George in India. Geevarghese may refer to:
Rev. P.T. Givergis Paniker Karichal was a priest, educationalist and astrologer of Syro-Malankara Catholic Church. He is from the great Panicker family and 39th priest of the family. He was the vicar of St. George Malanakara Syrian Catholic Church and the headmaster of St Mary's U.P school, Karichal.