LL HH Baselios Marthoma Didymos I – May 26

HH Baselios Marthoma Didymus I was the 7th Catholicos of the East and the 20th Malankara Metropolitan (Primate of the Malankara Church of India) from 2005 to 2010. He was 117th in the lineage of Catholicos of the East in the Apostolic throne of St. Thomas.  

Thomas C T was born on 29 October 1921 to Ittyavira Thomas of Mulamootil House in Nedumbram near Thiruvalla and Sosamma of Chiramel House in Mavelikara. He joined the Tabor Dayara in Pathnapuram in 1939, at the age of 18 and completed his high school education. He passed his Intermediate from C.M.S College, Kottayam in 1945, his B.A from National College, Tiruchirappalli in 1951, his B.T from Maston Training College, Madras in 1954, and his M.A from Christ Church College, Kanpur in 1961. He is endowed with erudition which he derived from his long career as a student of theology, mathematics, and English literature. Prior to his consecration to the episcopate, he had been a professional educator holding various positions in the academia. H. H. who has a post graduate degree in English literature, considers ‘education’ as holy as priesthood’.

His Holiness started his service to the Church as a monk when he was a teenager. He was called to the monastic life by the late Metropolitan Mar Dionysius of Niranam. Rev CM Thomas Rambachan (His Grace Thoma Mar Dionysius Metropolitan) heard a young boy’s (CT Thomas) rendition of the fifth Thubden (the Diptychs) during the Holy Qurbana touched Rambachan’s heart. His soulful voice and impressive diction stirred Rambachan’s inner being. Rambachan had a divine inspiration that the Lord had chosen this young boy for His vineyard. Rambachan asked him- “Are you interested in monastic life?”. Yes, he said, not fully comprehending what is a monastic life or what a monastery is. His father who had already given one son for the nation’s cause in the military, willingly agreed to give his son Thomas for the Church. Two days later after the blessed meeting, the 18-year-old, teenager CT Thomas and his father arrived in Pathnapuram. A blessed journey that began here, became a beacon of monastic life in the history of the Malankara Orthodox Church. That young boy grew in holiness and monastic discipline and as prophesied by his guru would one day become the shepherd of the whole Malankara Orthodox Church.  

He went through a rigorous monastic life that tuned up his body through hard work and his mind through intense discipline and his spirit through spiritual exercise. Mar Baselios Didymos I was an example and archetype of Eastern monastic life. He had imbibed and inculcated, strict and ardent monastic practices and exercises long before he became a priest and a bishop. He has witnessed many late nights during which our new Shepherd kept vigil in the chapel of Mount Tabor Monastery. Yes, indeed the Church of Malankara is blessed to be shepherded by a monk of prayer. Mar Didymos was a ‘barometer of the spiritual life of the Church’.

He had his priestly grounding and guidance under the disciplined guidance of Thoma Mar Dionysius of Mount Tabor Dayara, Pathnapuram and HH Baselios Augen I, Catholicos of the East. He received the order of Korooyo on 11 March 1942, from HH Baselios Geevarghese II Catholicos of the East at Karapuzha Mar Gregorios Chapel, full deaconship on 22 May 1947 at Thiruvalla Bethany Aramana Chapel and and priesthood on 25 January 1950 at Pathnapuram Mount Tabor Dayara.

He was a mathematics instructor for many years and was a high school headmaster for more than a decade. After receiving his post graduate degree in English literature, he held his lectureship in English literature when St. Stephen’s college of Pathnapuram came into existence. His Holiness is also rightly credited with his musical skills; his Divine liturgies are musically mellifluous to the ears of the participants. He had served as headmaster of Ponnayya High School, Tiruchirappalli, and headed English Dept St. Stephen’s High School, Pathnapuram and as Professor of English and later became the Vice-Principal of St. Stephens College Pathnapuram and President of the Orthodox Youth Movement. He addresses teaching as ‘the divine profession’. After completing his MA, he dedicated himself as a teacher and ‘dyana guru’.  His Holiness was a very simple and down to earth in life. A saintly bishop, a man of prayer, ardent faith in the Lord, who spent long hours in prayer and meditation. H.H.’s palms too are bruised and hardened, by farming at Mount Tabor and knuckles and knees are bruised as a result of continuous prayer on knees.   

On 16 May 1965, HH Baselios Augen I professed him Ramban, at Pathnapuram Mount Tabor Dayara. The Malankara Syrian Christian Association, which met on 28 December 1965 at M.D Seminary, Kottayam, elected him as Metropolitan. On 24 August 1966 at Kolenchery HH Baselios Augen consecrated him as Metropolitan Thomas Mar Timotheos. He became the Metropolitan of Malabar on 11 November 1966. He continues to serve as the General Superior of Mount Tabor Dayara and Convent in Pathnapuram. On 10 September 1992, the Malankara Association, which met at Parumala, elected him as successor- designate to the Malankara Metropolitan and Catholicos of the East. The enthronement took place at Parumala on 31 October 2005 at the age of 84. HH convened five sessions of Malankara Association, ordained 14 Metropolitans, Bishops seven at St. George Church, Puthupally on 19 February 2009 and another seven at Kottayam Mar Elia Cathedral on 12 May 2010. During the reign of Didymos I, the strength of the Episcopal Synod became 33, the highest till date.

HH Didymos I, as the Catholicos of the East, officiated in the consecration of holy Myron at Devalokam Catholicate Palace on 5 April 2009. He had, as a priest, attended the consecration of holy Myron officiated by Baselios Geevarghese II in 1951. Later, as a Metropolitan, Didymos I was a co-celebrant in the consecration of holy Myron on four occasions – in 1967, officiated by Baselios Augen I; in 1977 and 1988, officiated by Baselios Marthoma Mathews I; and in 1999, officiated by Baselios Marthoma Mathews II.

Didymos I bestowed the title “Sabha-Thejas” (‘great luminary of the Church’) on Malankara Metropolitan Mar Dionysius V. HH declared ancient churches as pilgrimage centers by Didymos I include St Mary’s Orthodox Church, Kallooppara and St. George Orthodox Church, Cheppad. Didymos I was the first Catholicos to preside over an official Church secretariat, That administers the affairs of the Church. He also introduced progressive reforms in the administration of parishes, including the right for ladies of the congregations to participate in the parish assemblies (palli-pothu-yogam). HH also divided some larger dioceses and creating new dioceses, to ensure more effective pastoral care and administration.

HH Didymos I, abdicated the throne on 31 October 2010, at the age of 89. The following day he personally enthroned his successor Baselios Marthoma Paulose II as the Catholicos of the East. HH Didymos I, spent the rest of his life at the Catholicate Palace. His Holiness entered heavenly abode on 26 May 2014 and is interred at Mount Tabor Dayara, Pathnapuram, the monastery which he was his home.