Kollam Jan 29 2006:
The mortal remains of His Holiness Moran Mar Baselios Marthoma
Mathews II, former Catholicos of the East cum Malankara
Metropolitan, were interred at Mount Horeb Monastery Chapel at
Sasthamkotta near here on Saturday. He passed away on Thursday
5.10pm at Devalokam, the headquarters of the church near
Kottayam.
People from different walks of life, cutting across religious
barriers, showed up to bid farewell to the departed former
Catholicos whose mortal remains were laid to rest with full
state honours. His successor Catholicos Mar Thoma Didimos I led
the funeral ceremonies at the Mount Horeb Monastery chapel.
His Holiness was leading a rest life after voluntarily resigning
as the Supreme Head of the Church on 29 October 2005 by handing
over his office to his successor H.H.Baselios Marthoma Didymos
I.
The body was brought to the Old Seminary chapel at Chungam, from
the church headquarters at Devalokam, late on Thursday night.The
body was kept at the Old Seminary here for public homage till
09:00 a.m. on Friday, and later taken to Elia Cathedral and from
there to Sasthamkotta at 2.45 p.m on January 27 Friday. An
unending stream of faithfuls paid homage prior to it as the
body, with ceremonial vestiges and sceptre, was kept seated in a
chair at Elia Cathedral for more than three hours from 11 a.m.
Kottayam town, which had decades-long association with the
departed spiritual Father, bid farewell to him as his body was
taken in a flower-bedecked special KSRTC bus from the Mar Elia
Cathedral grounds at 2.45 p.m. Hundreds of people lined up on
both sides of the MC Road also as the cortege proceeded to
Kottarakara and from there to Sasthamkotta via Kundara in the
afternoon.
Church heads and political personalities gave their farewell
speeches at intervals during the course of the services led by
Baselios Marthoma Didymus I, Church supremo and successor to the
deceased.
Kerala Assembly Speaker Therambil Ramakrishnan, State Revenue
Minister K M Mani, Water Resources Minister Thiruvanchoor
Radhakrishnan, Rural Development Minister C F Thomas,
V.S.Achuthandan, KPCC President Ramesh Chennithala, Tennala
Balakrishna Pillai, R.Balakrishna Pillai, Former Minister P J
Joseph, M G University Vice Chancellor Jancy James, heads of
various churches and other prominent persons paid their homage
to the departed Holy Father.
His Holiness was enthroned as Catholicos of the East on April
29, 1991 at Parumala seminary following the abdication by the
former Catholicos Baselios Marthoma Mathews I on April 27, 1991.
Holy Mooran was
consecrated on March 26, 1999 at Catholicate Aramana Chapel,
Devalokam. Vattasseril Geevarghese Mar Dionysius was declared a
Saint by him on February 24, 2003 at the Old Seminary in his
tenuare. He was the sixth Catholicos in Malankara after the
establishment of the Catholicate here in 1912 and 89th successor
to the throne of St Thomas as Catholicos. Baselios Marthoma
Mathews II abdicated the throne on October 30, 2005 due to old
age and ill health.
Baselios Marthoma Mathews II had a unique position among the
heads of churches not only in India but in the world. Also he
had the distinction of being the oldest serving Bishop of the
Christian denomination in the world.
Baselios Marthoma Mathews II was born on January 30, 1915 at
Kollam Perinad as the eldest son of Puthusserazhikathu
Puthenveetil Idikkula and Annamma. Ordained as Deacon in 1938
and then as Priest in 1941, he was noted for his prayerful life
and spiritual leadership. He had his religious training at the
Kottayam Old Seminary and later at Basil Dayara, Pathanamthitta.
Then he did his Bachelor of Divinity (BD) at the famous Bishop's
College, Calcutta. He had advanced theological studies at the
General Theological Seminary, New York.
At the young age of thirty eight, on May 15, 1953, he was
ordained as a Bishop of Orthodox Syrian church. Taking charge as
Metropolitan of the Diocese of Kollam, he dedicated his service
to the development of the Kollam Diocese. He was responsible for
opening many educational institutions and hospitals in the
diocese.
On May 1, 1980, the Malankara Syrian Christian Association which
met at the M D Seminary, selected him as the successor to the
throne of Catholicos of the East and Malankara Metropolitan.
Later on 29 April, 1991 he was enthroned as the Catholocose of
the Church at Paumala Seminary.
His Holiness was noted for his spiritual leadership and loving
nature and could endear himself to everyone who came in contact
with him. He was known as “Angel Priest” at that time. In
October 2002 he attended the 10th International Christian-Muslim
Conference at Manama in Behrain and was the chief guest of
honour. He was friendly with leaders of other religions and
encouraged all activities directed towards the progress and
development of the nation and promotion of communal harmony and
maintenance of peace in the country.He was person of ecumenical
vision.
In the arena of education, His Holiness established several
schools and professional colleges including Kottarakkara St
Gregorious College, Adoor St Cyril's College, Kottarakkara B.Ed.
College, Chovallur TTI, Sasthamkotta Public School, Chovallur St
George Higher Secondary School, Kalladakuttikonam ITI,
engineering colleges in Peerumedu and Sasthamkotta. Around 24
schools were also run under the direct supervision of His
Holiness.
His Holiness was also active in the field of social service. He
established several hospitals in Kollam, including Mar
Theodesius Hospital at Sasthamkotta. He played an important role
in elevating the Kolenchery Medical Mission Hospital into a
Medical College. His Holiness also paid special attention to the
development of hospitals in Kangazha and Parumala.
Considering the miserable performance of Keralites in
competitive examinations like civil services, he established a
Civil Services Academy in Thiruvananthapuram, to provide
adequate training for aspiring candidates. The activities of the
academy have been commendable.
He initiated several programmes to facilitate aid to the poor
for building houses, employment opportunities and also launched
a group marriage programme for conducting marriages of those
girls who hail from economically backward homes. These
activities are proof of his social commitment.
The His Holiness the Catholicos Baselios Marthoma Didymos I had
announced three days official mourning and 40 days special
prayers as a mark of respect to the departed holy Father
( Indian Orthodox Herald News Release,
January 29, 2006 )
The mortal remains of His
Holiness Moran Mar Baselios Marthoma Mathews II, former
Catholicos of the East cum Malankara Metropolitan, were
interred at Mount Horeb Monastery Chapel at Sasthamkotta
near here on Saturday. He passed away on Thursday 5.10pm at
Devalokam, the headquarters of the church near Kottayam.
