Titus II Mar Thoma Mar Thoma XVI, Mar Thoma Metropolitan | |
---|---|
of the Apostolic Throne of St Thomas | |
![]() | |
Installed | 5 November 1909 |
Term ended | 6 July 1944 |
Predecessor | Titus I Mar Thoma Metropolitan |
Successor | Abraham Marthoma metropolitan |
Orders | |
Ordination | 1889 |
Consecration | 9 December 1894 |
Rank | Mar Thoma Metropolitan (Ecclesiastical Title of the Head of the Ancient Indian Church) |
Personal details | |
Born | Joseph Titus Palakunnathu 6 May 1866 |
Died | 6 July 1944 78) Tiruvalla | (aged
Buried | Tiruvalla |
Titus II Mar Thoma Metropolitan (Mar Thoma XVI) (6 May 1866 – 6 July 1944) was the head of the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church with its center in Kerala state in south-western India. He was known as Thithoos Dwitheeyan Mar Thoma Metropolitan among his people. (Thithoos is Aramaic and Malayalam)
It was in the Malabar Coast in the 1st century CE, Thomas the Apostle arrived to preach the gospel to the Jews and non-Jewish locals, from whom emerged the Nasrani people and their Malankara Church. They followed a unique Hebrew-Syriac Christian tradition which included several Jewish elements and Indian customs. The Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church is still a part of this Malankara Church community.
In the 17th century, a member of the Panamkuzhy family (a branch of the Pakalomattam family), came and settled in Kozhencherry on the banks of river Pampa. Later they moved to Maramon, and lived at Chackkalyil, on the other side of the river. The second son in that family, Mathen moved to a nearby house at Palakunnathu. He had six sons and a daughter. The daughter was married to Mallapally Pavoothikunnel family and the first four sons moved to Themoottil, Neduvelil (Kozhenchery), Periyilel and Punamadom (Othera). The fifth son was a hermit priest (sanyasi achen). As was the custom, the youngest son Mathew lived at Palakunnathu family house. (This house still exists). Abraham Malpan, leader of reformation in Malankara church was the second son of Mathew. Thomas Mar Athanasius Metropolitan and Titus I Mar Thoma Metropolitan (Marthoma Metropolitan I) were the sons of Abraham Malpan.
A number of other Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church leaders were also born in this family. Mathews Mar Athanasius Metropolitan and Titus I Mar Thoma Metropolitan (Marthoma Metropolitan I) were from this family. The present head of the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church, Dr. Joseph Mar Thoma Metropolitan (Marthoma Metropolitan VII), is also from this family. [1] [2]
P.J. Dethos (Aramaic. Titus – English) was born on 6 May 1866 as the youngest son of Maramon Palakunnathu Joseph (brother of Mathews Mar Athanasius Metropolitan) and Mavelikara Vadakkethalackal Mariamma.
After primary education at Maramon he joined Kottayam seminary. He was at C.M.S. High school, Kottayam and at St. Joseph's school, Trivandrum, before returning home to study Syriac.
He was ordained by Thomas Mar Athanasius Metropolitan in 1889 and was appointed as assistant vicar in his home parish at Maramon church.
He was elected as a member of the Managing Committee (now known as Sabha Council) and a Representative Assembly (now known as Prathinidhi Mandalam) of the church. During this period he took active participation in the consecration of Titus I Mar Thoma.
After the great swearing – Coonen Cross Oath in 1653, it became necessary to appoint a bishop. For this purpose, a special chair was made and Mar Thoma I the first bishop of Malankara church was enthroned. This throne, used for the consecration of Mar Thoma I, is in the possession of the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church and is kept at Tiruvalla, It has been used in the installation of every Mar Thoma Metropolitan, to this day, so that the continuity of the throne of Mar Thoma is ensured. This was the throne used for the consecration of Mar Thoma XVI, Titus II Mar Thoma Metropolitan.
In 1896, the Representative Assembly of the church decided to consecrate Rev. P.J. Dethos as the successor of Titus I Mar Thoma. On 9 December 1896, Rev. P.J. Dethos was consecrated by Titus I Mar Thoma with the assistance of Geevarghese Mar Koorilose V (Karumamkuzhi Pulikkottil) Metropolitan of the Malabar Independent Syrian Church with the Episcopal title Thithoos Dwitheeyan Mar Thoma Metropolitan (Titus II Mar Thoma). It was held in Puthencavu palli, one of the biggest churches in Kerala at that time. [3]
He was given proper training and guidance by Titus I Mar Thoma. It was a period when the church was growing. This continued until the end of his life in 1944. For eleven years he was suffragan Metropolitan and was able to consecrate 33 new parishes.
Titus I Mar Thoma, died on 20 October 1909. The enthronement of Titus II Mar Thoma took place on 20 October 1909 at puthencavu church
A number of important decisions were taken during this time.
In 1937, Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church made an unusual decision, that all activities of the Church should be carried out by voluntary contributions from its members. Though there was some skepticism in the beginning, it was a great leap forward for the church.
A number of organizations were started during his tenure. Mar Thoma Evangelistic Association (1888), Maramon Convention (1895), Mar Thoma Sunday School Samjam (1905), Mar Thoma Suvisesha Sevika Sanghom (1919), Mar Thoma Voluntary Evangelists' Association (1924), Mar Thoma Yuvajana Sakhyam (1933). [5]
Some of the schools that were opened during his time: S.C. Seminary School, Tiruvalla (1902), Kozhencherry School (1904), Maramon School (1918, Kottayam Theological College (1923) Tiruvalla S.C. Training School (1925). [6]
Union Christian College Aluva, one of the prominent educational institutions in Kerala state in South India was founded in 1921 as a joint effort of four churches in Kerala: Malankara Jacobite Syrian Church, Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church, Church of South India and Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church.
Even before Marett Rev. M. N. Abraham was ordained as a deacon in 1911, the church leaders unanimously decided to select him as a bishop of the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church. He was consecrated as an episcopa on 27 December 1917 at Tiruvalla and was given the episcopal title, Abraham Mar Thoma Suffragan Metropolitan.
Because the number of parishes increased, the Representative Assembly (Mandalam) decided to have two more bishops. They selected Ayroor Cherukara Rev. C. M. John and Ayroor Kurudamannil Rev. C. T. Mathew. They were consecrated as episcopal on 30 December 1937 at Tiruvalla. Rev. C. M. John was given the title Juhanon Mar Timotheos and Rev. C. T. Mathew was given the title Mathews Mar Athanasius.
Titus II Metropolitan was a diabetic for a long time. By 1941 he lost his eyesight also. At this time, he was helped by the other Metropolitans. On Thursday 6 July 1944, Titus II Metropolitan died. He was interred in the Bishops' cemetery in the SCS Compound, Tiruvalla.
The Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church, often shortened to Mar Thoma Church, and known also as the Reformed Syrian Church and the Mar Thoma Syrian Church of Malabar, is an autonomous Oriental Protestant Christian church based in Kerala, India. While continuing many of the Syriac high church practices, the church is Protestant in its theology and doctrines. It employs a reformed variant of the West Syriac Rite Divine Liturgy of Saint James, translated to Malayalam.
Mathews Mar Athanasius (Mar Thoma XIII) (25 April 1818 – 16 July 1877) was the Malankara Metropolitan of the Malankara Church from 1852 until 1865. As a reformer, he spent most of his reign attempting to reform and heal rifts within the church. However in 1865, he was deposed by the traditionalist faction of the Malankara Church and Pulikkottil Joseph Dionysius became their leader.
Philipose Mar Chrysostom Mar Thoma XX Valiya Metropolitan, was an Indian prelate who served as Metropolitan of the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church from 1999-2007 and Valiya Thirumeni from 2007 until his death. He was the world's longest serving bishop, serving for −67 years, 11 months and 12 days. He was addressed and referred to as Chrysostom Thirumeni or Valiya Thirumeni after his retirement. He was also a known humorist. He was awarded India's third highest civilian award, the Padma Bhushan, in 2018.
Alexander Mar Thoma XIX Metropolitan was the Metropolitan of the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church with its center in Kerala state in south-western India.
Joseph Mar Thoma XXI was the 21st Mar Thoma Metropolitan and the church’s primate.
Juhanon Mar Thoma XVIII Metropolitan was the Metropolitan of the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church from 1949–1976, who gave leadership to the church and at the same time actively participated in social and political arenas. He was respected by people from all walks of life, from all religions and from all age groups. He is remembered for providing the church with its famous motto "Lighted to Lighten". His humanistic and socially-engaged approach to the Christian faith was embodied in his personal credo: "The Church must be interested where human life is interested."
Mar Thoma V was the 5th Malankara Metropolitan who served puthenkoor from 1728 to 8 May 1765. He was born as Ousep to the Pallippuram branch of the Pakalomattom family, situated in Andoor, Marangattupilly, where his father served as administration chief of Vadakkumkur Kings. He was ordained in 1728 and served as Malankara Metropolitan for 37 years until his death on May 8, 1765. His final resting place is Niranam St. Mary’s Church. His tenure faced numerous challenges and conflicts with bishops sent from the Syriac Orthodox Patriarchate in Antioch, resulting in some of these Syriac bishops being banished from the country and forced to return.
Palakunnathu Abraham Malpan, was an Indian cleric and theologian known for the Reformation movement within the Malankara Church during the 19th century. He was born in the ancient Syrian Christian Palakunnathu family which practiced West Syriac Rite Oriental Orthodoxy after the Coonan Cross Oath of 1653.
Abraham Mar Thoma XVII Metropolitan was the Metropolitan of the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church from 1944 to 1947. He was called Maret Kochu Thirumeni by his people. Among the bishops of Malankara Churches Including Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church, Abraham Mar Thoma was the first to earn a Doctoral degree.
Titus I Mar Thoma Metropolitan (Mar Thoma XV) (20 February 1843 – 20 October 1909) was known as Thithoos Mar Thoma Metropolitan (Thithoos is Aramaic and Malayalam) was the second Mar Thoma Metropolitan (1893–1909) after the Malankara Church split as the Orthodox and reformist factions.
Mar Thoma VI, also known as Mar Dionysius I, was the 6th Metropolitan of the Malankara Syrian Church, serving from 1765 until his demise on 8 April 1808. His original name was Iype, and he was born as the only son of Mathew (Mathan) Tharakan, the elder brother of Mar Thoma V, in the Pallippuram branch of the Pakalomattom Family(Andoor, Marangattupilly).
Mar Thoma VII was a Bishop of the Malankara Church from 1796 and the 7th Malankara Metropolitan from April 1808 to July 1809. Born in Pakalomattom family in Kurichithanam, Pala, he was well known as an efficient administrator, deeply religious but was a quiet and reserved person. During his time, a difficult period in the history of Travancore State, the church was able to help Travancore government by depositing an amount as fixed deposit, which came to be known as Vattipanam.
Mar Thoma IX was the ninth Metropolitan of the Malankara Church in Kerala, India for a brief period in 1816. That year, he was consecrated Metropolitan by Mar Thoma VIII, but soon after his ordination he was dethroned by Pulikkottil Joseph who was appointed by the then British resident Colonel John Munroe.
Mar Thoma VIII was the 8th Metropolitan of the Malankara Church in Kerala, India from 1809 to 1816. He was a man of vision. It was during his time Malankara church opened the first formal educational institution, in Kerala. With the opening of Kottayam Suryani Seminary, modern education dawned in Kerala.
Mathews Mar Athenasius Episcopa was the first missionary bishop of the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church. As a diocesan Episcopa he did remarkable pioneering work in organising parishes and new mission fields. His evangelical ardour and concern for the unreached area, made him forge ahead expansion programmes and colonisation schemes besides establishing of several institutions.
Mar Thoma IV was the 4th Malankara Metropolitan of the Malankara Church in India, serving from 1688–1728. During his tenure, the church was subject to a number of persecutions.
Mar Dionysius III, also known as Punnathra Mar Dionysius and born Kurien was 11th Malankara Metropolitan and Successor to the Holy Apostolic Throne of St.Thomas from 1817 until his death. Dionysius had a long career in the Malankara Church prior to his consecration as Metropolitan. It was his suggestion during the time of Mar Thoma IX to establish the Syrian seminary at Kottayam, Kerala's first educational institution. He also welcomed some of the first missionary teachers who arrived from England to teach in the seminary. In 1816, following the demise of Mar Dionysius II, who had not appointed a successor, Kurien was elected to succeed him as the Malankara Metropolitan by the general assembly of the Church and was ordained as bishop by Geevarghese Mar Philexenos II of the Malabar Independent Syrian Church.
Mar Thoma Yuvajana Sakhyam is the youth wing of the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church .Founded in 1933 at the Maramon Convention, it has spread its wings to all the continents, bringing youths of the Mar Thoma church under one umbrella. In its long history, it has produced many eminent personalities in the church and in the society.
Thomas Mar Athanasius (Mar Thoma XIV), or Thomas Thirumeni (7 October 1836 – 10 August 1893), was the Malankara Metropolitan of the Malankara Syrian Church faction of Malankara, from 1877 to 1893. The first son of prominent Syrian Church reformist Abraham Malpan (the "Martin Luther of the East"), he was born into the Palakunnathu family of Maramon. He ascended to the throne of the Malankara Metropolitan at a time of turmoil in the Malankara Church, being removed from office by the majority pro-Patriarchate faction of the church following the Royal court verdict of 1889, and evicted from the Pazhaya seminary (the seat of Malankara Metropolitan).