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Former Catholicos Mathews II passes away Mortal remains to be interred at Sasthamkotta Horabe Diara tomorrow
KOTTAYAM. 26-1-06: The former Catholicos of the East and Malankara Metropolitan Baselius Mar Thoma Mathews II passed away on Thursday at the Catholicate Palace here where he was leading a retired life since November last. He was 91. The end came at 5.20 p.m. The body of the former Catholicos will be moved to the Old Seminary here, where he was a student of theology, for the laity to pay their homage. Later, it will be moved to Mar Elia Cathedral in the heart of Kottayam town. According to the official spokesman of the Church, the last journey from Mar Elia Cathedral will begin at 3.30 p.m. on Friday to his final resting place at the Horabe Diara in Sasthamkotta in Kollam district. The body will be interred in a specially constructed crypt on Saturday morning. The former head of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church stepped down from the high office on October 31 after handing over his crosier to Baselius Mar Thoma Didymus I, citing old age and ill health. Ever since, he was staying at the Catholicate Palace in Devalokam near here. He was the sixth Catholicos of the East after the reinstatement of the Catholicate in Malankara in 1912 and the 89th successor to the Holy Apostolic Throne of St. Thomas, one of the disciples of Jesus Christ. Born to an agriculturist family as the son of Idikkula and Annamma of Puthusherazhikathu Puthenveedu at Perinad (Kollam district) on January 30, 1915, Mathew had his primary education at a local school and later had his early religious training at the Old Seminary in Kottayam and Basil Diara in Pathanamthitta. He later joined the Bishop's College in Kolkata for his Bachelor of Divinity programme and had his post-graduation from the General Theological Seminary, New York. He was ordained as sub-deacon in 1938 by the then Catholicos of the East Baselius Geevarghese II and three years later on May 25, 1941 as a priest of the Orthodox Church. It was during his stay at the St. George's Diara in Othara, which he helped to build, that he earned a name as a devout and able priest and endeared himself to all who came into contact with him and earning himself the pet name `Angel Achan' (Father Angel). Under the special interest of the then Catholicos Baselius Geevarghese II, Fr. Mathew, then only 38 years old, was consecrated as Bishop in 1953 with the name Mathews Mar Coorilose, making him one of the youngest bishops in the Christendom. Mar Coorilose was elected Catholicos of the East and Malankara Metropolitan on April 29, 1991 when his predecessor Baselius Mar Thoma Mathews I stepped down. A widely travelled man, the former Catholicos was respected as a voice of ecumenism and moderation. Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, Finance Minister Vakkom Purushothaman and the former Minister R. Balakrishna Pillai are among those who condoled the demise. Mar Joseph Powathil, Metropolitan of the Changanassery Archdiocese and chairman of the Inter-Church Council for Education, said the demise of the spiritual leader was a personal loss to him. He had the opportunity to closely enjoy his affection, fraternal relationship and friendship. Hundreds pay homage to former Catholicos
PATHANAMTHITTA 27-1-06: Hundreds of faithful assembled at various towns along MC Road on Friday afternoon to pay their last respects to the former Catholicos of the Malankara Orthodox Church Baselius Mar Thoma Mathews II who passed away on Thursday. The procession carrying the mortal remains of Mar Baselius entered Pathanamthitta district at 5.30 p.m. Minister for Tourism and Devaswom K.C. Venugopal offered floral tributes on behalf of the State Government when the procession reached Ezhinjillom on the Pathanamthitta border. Senior Metropolitan Geevarghese Mar Osthatheos, of the Niranom diocese of the Orthodox Church, and his assistant, Youhanon Mar Chrisostomos, accompanied by Church secretary Alexander Karackal and PRO Jose Parakkadavil, received the mortal remains of Mar Baselius when the procession entered Ezhinjillom. P.J. Kurien, MP; Joseph M. Puthuserry, Elizabeth Mammen Mathai, MLAs; A.J. Rajan, District Collector; N. Govindan Namboodiri, RDO; and Koshy Thomas, Thiruvalla municipal chairman; were among those who offered tributes to the departed soul at Ezhinjillom. Mar Thoma Metropolitan Philipose Mar Chrysostom offered floral tributes to Mar Baselius when the procession reached the SC Seminary Junction in the heart of Thiruvalla. In a message, Mar Chrysostom expressed deep sorrow and condolence of the Mar Thoma Church on the demise of Mar Baselius. Bishop of Thiruvalla diocese of the Malankara Catholic Church Issac Mar Cleemis condoled the death of the former Catholicos. In a statement, Revolutionary Youth Front State secretary Saleem P. Chacko also condoled the death of Mar Baselius. Our Staff Reporter writes from Kottayam: Thousands bid a tearful farewell to Baselius Mar Thoma Mathews II, whose mortal remains were taken to his final resting place at Mount Horabe Diara at Sasthamkotta on Friday afternoon. People from all walks of life flocked to the Catholicate palace at Devalokam, near here, following the announcement of the demise of the former Catholicos on Thursday evening. The body was taken to the chapel at the Orthodox Seminary at Chungom late in the night. On Friday, after the special mass led by Metropolitan of Kottayam diocese Geevarghese Mar Ivanios, the mortal remains of the spiritual leader were taken to Mar Elia Cathedral for the faithful to pay their last respects. The last leg of the journey to Horabe Diara began at 3 p.m. The funeral procession was led by a pilot jeep carrying the portrait of the late Catholicos followed by the carriage carrying the body of Mar Baselius. Hundreds of people accompanied the carriage. Meanwhile, the church authorities said that all educational institutions managed by the Orthodox Church would remain closed on Saturday also. The church has declared a 40-day mourning, during which special prayers would be held for the departed soul.
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