Catholicos Baselios Thomas I, head of Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Church, is no more
He was the shepherd of the Jacobite Syrian Church for over two decades.
He was the shepherd of the Jacobite Syrian Church for over two decades.
He was the shepherd of the Jacobite Syrian Church for over two decades.
Kochi: Baselios Thomas I, Catholicos of the Jacobite Syrian Church, has passed away. He was undergoing treatment for age-related ailments in Kochi. He was known for uniting and holding the Church together during times of crisis.
He was the shepherd of the Jacobite Syrian Church for over two decades. When the Church was embroiled in crises, the Catholicos led the believers through the fiery path of struggles. In his passing, the Jacobite Church lost an irreplaceable leader.
Born on July 22, 1929, in the Cheruvillil family of Vadayambadi at Puthencruz to Mathai and Kunjamma, CM Thomas or Kunjoonju for his family, ended his primary education at Class 4 due to childhood illnesses.
He then became a mail runner at the postal department. Thomas, who used to teach Sunday school and preach at the St. George Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Dayro, Malekurish, was appointed to Piramadom Dayara by Paulos Mor Philexinos, then Metropolitan of Kandanad and Catholicos.
He received the Korooyo order from Paulos Mar Philoxinos in 1952 at 23 and the Subdeacon order in 1957. The Apostolic Delegate, Archbishop Julius Elias Bava, ordained him a priest on September 21, 1958.
He simultaneously served as the vicar of Puthencruz St Peter's, Vellathoval, Keezhmuri, and Valampoor churches. He also served as an assistant vicar in Fort Kochi, Kolkata, Thrissur, Chembookavu, and Padyinjarekotta.
On February 24, 1974, Patriarch Jacob III ordained him as Metropolitan Mor Dionysius Thomas at the St George Patriarchal Cathedral in Damascus.
Following this, he served as the Metropolitan of the Angamaly, Malabar, and dioceses outside Kerala. On February 22, 1998, he was elected President of the Episcopal Synod.
On December 27, 2000, the Church Synod convened at Puthencruz elected him as the Cathalicos-designate. In a ceremony held in Damascus, Syria, he was enthroned as the Catholicos on July 26, 2002, by Syriac Orthodox Patriarch Ignatius Zakka I Iwas, Patriarch of Antioch and All the East.
On July 6, 2002, the church representative assembly held at Puthencruz elected him as the Metropolitan Trustee.
He rose to the leadership of the Church at a time when it had only three Metropolitans and a handful of churches. He was instrumental in building many places of worship, ecclesiastical institutions, and headquarters in Puthencruz.
When the Church went through crises, he was at the forefront of the protests for its survival. For his participation in the prayer meetings and protests, he faced police lathi-charge and arrests. He was also booked close to 600 cases.