Celebrations of the Catholicose Baselios Marthoma Dydimos I

Kottayam (Kerala, India), SVM News, 31 Ocober 2008: His Holiness
Baselios Mar Thoma Dydimos I, the supreme head of the Indian
(Malankara) Orthodox Church celebrated 88th Birthday on 29th of
October. And also celebrated his 3rd enthronement of Catholicose of
the East and Malankara Metropolitan on 31st of October.

He was born on 29 Ocober 1920. He enthroned Catholicos of the East &
Malankara Metropolitan on October 31, 2005.

His Holiness Baselios Mar Thoma Dydimos I is the seventh Catholicose
since the Catholicate of the East was relocated to India and 90th in
the lineage of Catholicos of the East in the Apostolic throne of St.
Thomas. He is also the 19th Malankara Metropolitan of the Church.

He was consecrated as Bishop by name Thomas Mar Timotheos on August
24, 1966 and has been serving as Metropolitan of the Malabar Diocese
of the church. The Malankara Association, which met at Parumala
Seminary on 10 September 1992, elected him as successor- designate
to the Malankara Metropolitan and Catholicos of the East.

His Holiness Baselios Marthoma Dydimos I was born as the son of
Ittyavira Thomas of Mulamootil House in Nedumbram near Thiruvalla
and Sosamma of Chiramel House in Mavelikara. By baptism he was named
as Thomas Ittyavira. He started his service to the Church as a monk
when he was a teenager. He was called to the monastic life by Thoma
Mar Dionysius Metropolitan of Niranam, who was also the founder of
Tabore Dayara at Pathanapuram.

The young Thomas Ittyavira joined the Tabor Dayara in 1939 where he
completed his high school education. He passed his Intermediate from
C.M.S College, Kottayam in 1945, his B.A from National College,
Tiruchirapalli in 1951, his B.T from Maston Training College,
Chennai in 1954, and his M.A from Christ Church College, Kanpur in
1961.

He completed his training for priesthood under the guidance of Thoma
Mar Dionysius Metropolitan and Baselios Augen Catholicose. He
received the order of Korooyo on 11 March 1942, full deaconship on
22 May 1947 and priesthood on 25 January 1950 from His Holiness
Catholicose Baselios Geevarghese II.

He Has served as headmaster of Ponnayya High School, Thiruchirapalli
in Tamil Nadu and St. Stephen's High School, Pathanapuram in Kerala.
And also he served as Professor of English in St. Stephens College,
Pathanapuram.

His Holiness Catholicose Baselios Ougen I made him Ramban on 16 May
1965. The Malankara Syrian Christian Association, which met on 28
December 1965 at M.D Seminary, Kottayam, elected him to the office
of Metropolitan. He was consecrated as Metropolitan at Kolencherry
by the Catholicose Ougen I and became the Metropolitan of Malabar on
11 November 1966.

He continues to serve as the General Superior of Mount Tabor Dayara
and Convent in Pathanapuram.

Paul Ciniraj, Kottayam