Baselios Marthoma Didimos I

Parumala: October 31 2005: Catholicos Baselios Marthoma Mathews II, supreme Head of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church and Malankara Metropolitan, stepped down from the highest ecclesiastical position of the Church on Sunday. Immediately after the stepping down of the his position as Malankara Metropolitan, Catholicos Elect Thomas Mar Thimothios assumed the office of Malankara Metropolitan. The new Catholicos was enthroned as His Holiness Baselios Marthoma Didimos I during the Holy Eucharist at Parumala Church today.

Thomas Mar Thimothios was consecrated as Bishop on August 24, 1966 and has been serving as Metropolitan of the Malabar Diocese of the church. He is the seventh Catholicos from Malankara Orthodox Church and 90th Catholicos on this throne. He is also the 19th Malankara Metropolitan of the Church.

The former Catholicos, who is in his nineties and the world’s oldest serving bishop in any of the Christian denominations, has decided to relinquish the post to his successor Catholicos Elect Thomas Mar Thimothios.

His Holiness sent his resignation letter in the afternoon, after celebrating Holy Eucharist in Devalokam Aramana chapel here, to Thomas Mar Athanasios, secretary of the Holy Episcopal synod. Thereafter an urgent meeting of the Holy Episcopal Synod of the Church was convened on Sunday night at Parumala Seminary, In Kerala.

The Holy Synod accepted the resignation and discussed arrangements to facilitate a smooth succession by elevating Catholicos-elect Thomas Mar Thimothios, 85, as the new supreme Head.

The ceremony was held at the Parumala Church here today during the celebration of the Holy Eucharist. Dr. Thomas Mar Makarios, Metropolitan of the Europe and Canada Diocese of the Church was the chief celebrant of the Holy Eucharist. The former Catholicos His Holiness Baselios Marthoma Mathews II was also present at the ceremony in spite of his ill health to bless this occasion. The former Catholicos himself handed over the Shepherd Staff and Engelpion to his successor at the ceremony. Senior Metropolitan Dr. Gevarghese mar Osthathios of Niranam led the enthronement ceremony. All other Metropolitans attended and assisted the celebrants on the occasion.

Enthronement of New Catholicos

Indian Orthodox Herald News Service

 Kottayam: November 1 2005:: Baselios Marthoma Mathews II Makes the Abdication a Gracious Event for the Orthodox Church.

True to His Holiness’s ingrained quality of being with malice towards none and but with goodwill to all Baselios Marthoma Mathews II abdicated the throne enabling the Seventh Catholicos and Malankara Metropolitan to be well in office with the divine christening as Baselios Marthoma Didymos I. Amidst prayerful chanting that swelled from the faithful at the Parumala Seminary Church H. B. Thomas Mar Thimothios was ordained as the Catholicos of the East and Malankara Metropolitan on Monday 31 October 2005.

For the first time in the history of the Church, the newly ordained Catholicos was privileged with the physical presence of his predecessor during the installation ceremony. Invoking prayers from one and all, when Catholicos Baselios Marthoma Mathews II offered the shepherd Staff – Amsavadi - and adorned the successor with three engelpions – one of Cross and another of St. Mary and another of St. Thomas, with the words – the Spiritual authority and the Temporal authority that the Church entrusted with me fourteen years ago is now handed over to you with all the satisfaction of the heart - it was a divine will that was fulfilled. Choking the eyes and hearts of all, when His Holiness Marthoma Mathews II Bava stood up, at the conclusion of the ceremony, to hug and garland his successor, it was a meeting of the Past and the Present, giving way for the latter.

More touching was the parting message given by the outgoing Catholicos, wishing the new Catholicos God’s benison in the discharging of the duties for the steadier growth of the Church. Then taking leave of his Authority and the Throne, with his head held high, H. H. Baselios Marthoma Mathews II, stepped down from the Holy Place of the Parumala Seminary Church assisted by Fr. V. M .James and Fr. Varughese and Deacon Siby, leaving the destiny of the Church, safely and graciously, in the hands of Catholicos Baselios Marthoma Didymos First and other Metropolitans , Priests, Deacons and the Faithful.

We Keep The Doors Wide Open: His Holiness Marthoma Didymos I

Indian Orthodox Herald News Service

Kottayam: November 2 2005: The Supreme Head of the Church of Malankara His Holiness Baselios Marthoma Didymos I said he was praying for peace not only in the church and for believers, but in the entire nation. Talking to newspersons after assuming the highest position of the church of Malankara at the church headquarters at Devalokam, His Holiness said his desire to establish peace with the patriarch faction is his primary concern. He is ready to start peace talks based on the constitution of the church with the Patriarch faction, if they take the initiative.

"We were keeping our doors wide open, now it is for them to take a decision,’’ His Holiness was answering to a question to the media persons.

Referring on a media report of an alleged ultimatum given by the Catholicos Baselios Thomas I, head of the Patriarch faction, that they would take possession of the churches under dispute if the government did not take steps to re-open them, he declined. "Violence is not the path of the Orthodox church. The government should take steps to reopen the churches under dispute on the basis of the court verdict,’’ His Holiness said.

His Holiness the Catholicos Baselios Marthoma Didymos I was enthroned as supreme head of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian church on October 31 following the abdication of the throne by Catholicos Baselios Marthoma Mathews II due to ill health and old age.

His Holiness also expressed his gratitude to the authorities of the Gulf countries for giving permission for establishing churches in their country. His Holiness also said that the possibility of convening a meeting of the Malankara Association will be discussed with the necessary committees to elect a designate Catholicos, since there is no constitutional provision for that position.

Metropolitan Dr. Thomas Mar Makarios and Sabha Secretary Dr. Alexander Karakkal was also with His Holiness to attend the press conference.

Many dignitaries also visited His Holiness at his head quarters Devalokam Aramana.

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