'ഞാൻ പഴയ ചാണ്ടിയായി മാറിയാലും സ്വാതന്തൃയം നഷ്‌ടപ്പെട്ട ഒരു സഭയുടെ മെത്രോപ്പോലിത്തയായി കഴിയുവാൻ ആഗ്രഹിക്കുനില്ല . ഒരു നായയെ പോലെ മരിക്കേണ്ടിവന്നാലും മലങ്കര സഭയുടെ സ്വതന്തൃയത്തിനു വേണ്ടി അടരാടും ' - മലങ്കര സഭയുടെ സ്വാതന്ത്രിയം തിറെഴുതാനും അബ്ദൽ മ്ശിഹായുടെ പട്ടത്വം പാഴാണെന്നു സമ്മതിക്കാനും ഞാൻ തയ്യാറില്ല. -- HG ALEXIOS MAR THEODOSIUS.
HG. Alexios Mar Theodosius was born on August 28th 1888 as chandy kunju into the famous Mattckal family. He was brought up in a typical orthodox family. He on one side was an able administrator and on the other side he was a real monk, who lived within the rules and regulation of the Ashram.I am not getting deep into his life history as my intention is not to write about it but to point out 3 things which Thirumeni did, which changed the outlook of the Malankara Orthodox Church and was instrumental in reviving the spirituality in Malankara Orthodox Church. I will explain it in points:
1) FORMING BETHANY ASHRAM AND GIVING IT A SECOND LIFE AFTER 1930
Formed in 1918 the Bethany Ashram is the first monastic community of the Indian Orthodox Church. When Thirumeni was studying at Serampore college as a deacon he met Fr. PT Geevargese(later arch bishop Mar Ivanios). It was from their discussions that the idea of forming a monastery was formed. They worked tirelessly for the dream they had and finally got a land for the monastery in Ranny - Perunad. Meanwhile Dn. Alexious was ordained as a priest and was sent to Ranny by Fr.P. T Gee Varghese to establish the monastery. The land being situated on a hilly region as a part of the forest, it was not an easy task to establish the monastery. He worked hard to clear the forest and establish a monastery there along with Mr. ommen.
But everything went downhill when on 1930 Mar Ivanios Thirumeni left the Malankara Orthodox Church and the Bethany Ashram with all the portable properties. Fr. Alexious was very sad about this as Mar Ivanios Thirumeni was one of his role models. Many of the members of the ashram also left with Mar Ivanios Thirumeni.
This incident transformed Fr. Alexious to be a bold character.This shaped his character It made him a strong personality. After this, he led the Bethany ashram to new heights. He ensured the spiritual growth of the ashram and also at the same time he led the church in all legal suits which was created by Mar Ivanios and his group concerning the Bethany Ashram and its property to finally get a favorable judgment for the church. So he was not only the founder of the Bethany Ashram but he also gave a fresh lease of life to it. He in fact gave a second life to the Bethany Ashram. This helped a lot in reviving the spirituality of the Malankara Orthodox Church especially because it is the first monastic community of the church.
2) CONTRIBUTION TO OUTSIDE KERALA DIOCESE -
HG. Alexious Mar Theodosius was an able Administrator and a leader with a great and committed vision and dedication. Fr. K Gee Varghese once said about his works in kollam diocese:
" ഭദ്രാസനസേവനാർത്ഥം അദേഹം കയറാത്ത മലയില്ല, കടക്കാത്ത കടവില്ല, തുഴയാത്ത പുഴയില്ല, അലയാത്ത ദിനമില്ല ."
This statement by Fr. K Gee Varghese very well explains the commitment he had towards the diocese and the church. Talking of his contribution to the outside Kerala diocese, he laid the foundations for both the administration and spiritual growth among the outside Kerala Syrian Christians. He was instrumental in forming the Indian Orthodox Mission in Madras in 1947, where he trained a group of educated priest and appointed them in the important cities of India. He made various journeys across India to meet Syrian Christians. In 1952, he visited New Delhi and felt the need of having a church in the national capital there by paving way to the formation of St. Mary’s Cathedral, Hauz khas, New Delhi and appointed a priest. He also visited the then Prime Minister of the Republic India Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.
Thirumeni helped the church to break its boundaries of Kerala and extend it to other parts of India. He taken a lot of effort and pain to reach the people of outside Kerala and to communicate with them. This helped our church a lot in coming years. This action by Thirumeni holds historical significance because till then the members of the Indian Malankara Orthodox Church living outside Kerala used to attend Holy Mass of Catholic Churches.
3) TAKING ORTHODOX CHURCH TO THE GLOBAL LEVEL –
It was the dedicated and selfless efforts of HG. Alexious Mar Theodosius that was instrumental in taking the church to the global level.
The church actively started to participate in ecumenical meetings viz. the Oxford Faith and Order Meeting and also the Life and Work conference at Edinburg both of which were held in the same year 1937. The church was invited to both the conferences solely due to the efforts of HG. Alexious Mar Theodosius Thirumeni. It was in this meeting, that it was decided to form the World Council of Churches (WCC). Till then nobody knew about our church but by attending this two conferences, we were able to draw the attention of the world churches.
In 1948, the Bava Thirumeni HH Baselious Geevarghese II, the supreme head of the Indian Orthodox Church selected HG. Alexious Mar Theodosius and HG. Philipose Mar Theophilos to attend the Amsterdam WCC Conference in 1948. Theodosius thirumeni had the privilege and honour to deliver a speech in the conference. He was elected into the WCC central committee. Thirumeni played an important role in ensuring the participation of the church in ecumenical meetings and thus he was able to take our church to the global level.
To sum it up, HG. Alexious Mar Theodosius has done so many thing during his lifetime which helped revive the lost spirituality in the Orthodox Church. He truly lived up to his name Theodosius which means “Giving to God”. He lived as person who gave his best for god and the society around hi thereby showing the love of Christ to others around him. I was motivated to write this article as many of my friends, even the elder people are unaware about the contributions of Theodosius Thirumeni for the church. Though some do know about Thirumeni’s contribution like the formation of Bethany ashram but not many knows the struggle or the pain thirumeni overcame to reshape Bethany ashram after 1930. The Indian Orthodox Church is blessed to have many such great and able leaders both in the past and in the present with a great vision. We being the members of the Indian Orthodox Church have the responsibility to carry forward the legacy of such able leaders through whom God has blessed us.
May the Almighty God Help us all for this..!
1) FORMING BETHANY ASHRAM AND GIVING IT A SECOND LIFE AFTER 1930
Formed in 1918 the Bethany Ashram is the first monastic community of the Indian Orthodox Church. When Thirumeni was studying at Serampore college as a deacon he met Fr. PT Geevargese(later arch bishop Mar Ivanios). It was from their discussions that the idea of forming a monastery was formed. They worked tirelessly for the dream they had and finally got a land for the monastery in Ranny - Perunad. Meanwhile Dn. Alexious was ordained as a priest and was sent to Ranny by Fr.P. T Gee Varghese to establish the monastery. The land being situated on a hilly region as a part of the forest, it was not an easy task to establish the monastery. He worked hard to clear the forest and establish a monastery there along with Mr. ommen.
But everything went downhill when on 1930 Mar Ivanios Thirumeni left the Malankara Orthodox Church and the Bethany Ashram with all the portable properties. Fr. Alexious was very sad about this as Mar Ivanios Thirumeni was one of his role models. Many of the members of the ashram also left with Mar Ivanios Thirumeni.
This incident transformed Fr. Alexious to be a bold character.This shaped his character It made him a strong personality. After this, he led the Bethany ashram to new heights. He ensured the spiritual growth of the ashram and also at the same time he led the church in all legal suits which was created by Mar Ivanios and his group concerning the Bethany Ashram and its property to finally get a favorable judgment for the church. So he was not only the founder of the Bethany Ashram but he also gave a fresh lease of life to it. He in fact gave a second life to the Bethany Ashram. This helped a lot in reviving the spirituality of the Malankara Orthodox Church especially because it is the first monastic community of the church.
2) CONTRIBUTION TO OUTSIDE KERALA DIOCESE -
HG. Alexious Mar Theodosius was an able Administrator and a leader with a great and committed vision and dedication. Fr. K Gee Varghese once said about his works in kollam diocese:
" ഭദ്രാസനസേവനാർത്ഥം അദേഹം കയറാത്ത മലയില്ല, കടക്കാത്ത കടവില്ല, തുഴയാത്ത പുഴയില്ല, അലയാത്ത ദിനമില്ല ."
This statement by Fr. K Gee Varghese very well explains the commitment he had towards the diocese and the church. Talking of his contribution to the outside Kerala diocese, he laid the foundations for both the administration and spiritual growth among the outside Kerala Syrian Christians. He was instrumental in forming the Indian Orthodox Mission in Madras in 1947, where he trained a group of educated priest and appointed them in the important cities of India. He made various journeys across India to meet Syrian Christians. In 1952, he visited New Delhi and felt the need of having a church in the national capital there by paving way to the formation of St. Mary’s Cathedral, Hauz khas, New Delhi and appointed a priest. He also visited the then Prime Minister of the Republic India Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.
Thirumeni helped the church to break its boundaries of Kerala and extend it to other parts of India. He taken a lot of effort and pain to reach the people of outside Kerala and to communicate with them. This helped our church a lot in coming years. This action by Thirumeni holds historical significance because till then the members of the Indian Malankara Orthodox Church living outside Kerala used to attend Holy Mass of Catholic Churches.
3) TAKING ORTHODOX CHURCH TO THE GLOBAL LEVEL –
It was the dedicated and selfless efforts of HG. Alexious Mar Theodosius that was instrumental in taking the church to the global level.
The church actively started to participate in ecumenical meetings viz. the Oxford Faith and Order Meeting and also the Life and Work conference at Edinburg both of which were held in the same year 1937. The church was invited to both the conferences solely due to the efforts of HG. Alexious Mar Theodosius Thirumeni. It was in this meeting, that it was decided to form the World Council of Churches (WCC). Till then nobody knew about our church but by attending this two conferences, we were able to draw the attention of the world churches.
In 1948, the Bava Thirumeni HH Baselious Geevarghese II, the supreme head of the Indian Orthodox Church selected HG. Alexious Mar Theodosius and HG. Philipose Mar Theophilos to attend the Amsterdam WCC Conference in 1948. Theodosius thirumeni had the privilege and honour to deliver a speech in the conference. He was elected into the WCC central committee. Thirumeni played an important role in ensuring the participation of the church in ecumenical meetings and thus he was able to take our church to the global level.
To sum it up, HG. Alexious Mar Theodosius has done so many thing during his lifetime which helped revive the lost spirituality in the Orthodox Church. He truly lived up to his name Theodosius which means “Giving to God”. He lived as person who gave his best for god and the society around hi thereby showing the love of Christ to others around him. I was motivated to write this article as many of my friends, even the elder people are unaware about the contributions of Theodosius Thirumeni for the church. Though some do know about Thirumeni’s contribution like the formation of Bethany ashram but not many knows the struggle or the pain thirumeni overcame to reshape Bethany ashram after 1930. The Indian Orthodox Church is blessed to have many such great and able leaders both in the past and in the present with a great vision. We being the members of the Indian Orthodox Church have the responsibility to carry forward the legacy of such able leaders through whom God has blessed us.
May the Almighty God Help us all for this..!
Quite informative article ... Issac
ReplyDeleteDiocese of UK-Europe and Africa
ReplyDeleteBRIEF HISTORY
The roots of the Malankara (Indian) Orthodox Syrian Church in the UK-Europe and Africa geographical region can be traced back to the 1930s when Abu Alexios of the Bethany monastery (later Bishop Alexios Mar Theodosius) visited the UK. This visit was made possible by the tireless efforts of Prof. A. M. Varki of Alwaye, a member of the 'Mission of Fellowship to England and Ireland' sponsored by the National Christian Council of India(NCCI). With the help and cooperation of people like Dr. William Paton, Cannon John Douglas, and others, an association called 'The Friends of the Syrian Church' was formed to render help to this ancient church in India by offering higher theological training. The first candidate thus chosen was Abu Alexios, who also participated in the Jubilee celebrations of the Community of Resurrection, Mirfield. It is commendable that he was able to establish the positive rapport with several religious communities in the UK.
The second priest who came to the UK under this scheme was Rev. Fr. T. V. John of U.C. College Alwaye in 1934. Holy Qurbana in Malayalam was conducted in those days at the chapel at Kings College, London. Later on, several others came to the UK under this programme. The most important milestone in the early history of the diocese was the visit of the Catholicos H. H. Moran Mar Baselios Geeverghese II, accompanied by the very Rev. Ramban C M Thomas (later Metropolitan Thoma Mar Dionysius) and Abu Alexios to participate in the second "Faith and Order Conference" of the World Council of Churches (WCC) in Edinburgh in 1937. After the conference, Ramban C. M. Thomas stayed with the Cowley fathers for studies in Oxford and conducted Eucharistic services.
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ReplyDeleteLikewise, he arrived in Malaya (Malaysia & Singapore) in 1928 and Holy Qurbana was first celebrated here. His sermons while we travelled around Malaya had been reported in newspapers at the time period of nearly 2 years when he was here. The first two Orthodox Syrian churches built outside of India are in Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. We celebrate 91 years of Orthodox Syrian Christian Community in Singapore this year.
ReplyDeleteFantastic
ReplyDeleteIn a meeting in Madras to congratulate him the inaguratorin his inaugural address said," Here is a golden Bishop wearing wooden cross."
ReplyDelete