His Holiness Baselios Marthoma Mathews I – Nov 8 I Vattakunnel Bava – A Man on a Mission with a Vision for the Church

His contribution to the Church through translation of the Order of Holy Qurbana Sunday worship and the text of Good Friday Service. He translated and published the texts of Sunday service and Good Friday service to Malayalam with the help of Mr. C.P. Chandy the famous Church Poet. He then published the ‘Holy Qurbana Kramam’ (Order of Holy Qurbana) with relevant songs for each Sunday. These Prayer books are so popular that these are used by each member of the church now. He also translated H. Qurbana Kramam to English and also celebrated the Qurbana in English so that those who did not know Malayalam could participate in the H. Qurbana actively. He then made arrangements to translate the H. Qurbana Kramam to Hindi and Tamil which is now used.

His Holiness Baselios Marthoma Mathews I, was 5th Catholicos of East, 88th successor to be seated the Holy Apostolic Throne of St. Thomas, 18^th Malankara Metropolitan and Supreme Primate of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church in India. His Holiness was born on 27th, March 1907 as the youngest son of Fr Cherian Vattakunnel Kurien, Vicar of St. Mary’s Orthodox Syrian Church at Manarcad and Olesha Pulickaparampil Mariamma in Kottayam.

Young Vattakunnel Kurien Mathew (Kuttachen) had his school education at M.D. Seminary High School, and College education in C.M.S. College, Kottayam and Maharaja’s College Ernakulum. As a layman with B.A (Chemistry), Mathew opted for the ministry of God and joined the Bishop’s College, Calcutta for B.D. course. In 1936, Mathew took B.D. He had achieved the unique distinction in studies and also in the Canonical Laws. The Theological Seminary was his main field and area of activity,  where he joined as a teaching staff of the Theological Seminary, Kottayam in 1942. He was appointed as its acting Principal in 1948, and as principal 1951 till 1966. He was selected as a of the Managing Committee Member in 1944. 

He received the order of Sub-deacon on August 18, 1945 at the Old Seminary and the next day, on August 19, 1945, he was ordained as a full deacon, at Mar Elia Chapel, HH Baselios Geevarghese II, Catholicos of the East. He was ordained as priest October 27, 1946, by His Holiness Baselios Geevarghese II. Later, on September 21, 1951, Fr. V. K. Mathews was elevated to the rank of Ramban (Monk). The Malankara Syrian Christian Association held in 1951 elected Fr. Mathews as Metropolitan-candidate and accordingly on 15 May 1953, His Holiness Baselios Geevarghese II consecrated him as Episcopa under the name Mathews Mar Athanasius.  He was further elevated to the office of Metropolitan on 12 July 1959. In addition to the post of Principal of the Theological Seminary, he was given the charge of the diocese of Outside Kerala Diocese of the Malankara Church in 1960 which he shepherded till 1976.

In July 1963, Mar Athanasius and Daniel Mar Philoxenos visited Moscow on the invitation of Russian Orthodox Church. They attended in the golden jubilee celebration and as the representatives of the Catholicos of the East of the metropolitan, they participated in the consecration of H. H. Alexy I, Patriarch. Later Mathews Mar Athanasius, was unanimously elected as the Supreme Head of the Church and successor to Baselios Augen I, as catholicos to the Catholicate of the East and Malankara Metropolitan by the Malankara Association, which met on December 31, 1970 at M. D. Seminary, Kottayam. Consequently, the Metropolitan was called upon to assist the Catholicos in the administration of the Church from 1972 onwards.

On 24 September 1975, HG assumed charge as Malankara Metropolitan, with the approval of the Synod, when Baselios Augen I voluntarily relinquished charge of that office. He was installed as Catholicos of the East with the title His Holiness Baselios Marthoma Mathews I on 27 October 1975, at the Old Seminary. The title ‘Mar Thoma’ has been suffixed for the first time when H. H. Mathews I was installed as Catholicos. The title ‘Mar Thoma’ has historical significance. Following the ‘Coonan Kurish Sathyam of 1653 the Malankara Metropolitan was installed as ‘Mar Thoma’ signifying the St. Thomas Tradition of Malankara Church. His Holiness while taking charge as Catholicos declared that he will preserve the Independence of the Malankara Orthodox Church as the apple of his eyes which he did till his end.

During this period the Church witnessed substantial growth and made significant strides. The number of parishes inside and outside India increased considerably. Many new Churches that were built, and the number of parish priests and educational institutions increased. Metropolitan undertook many tours to different parts of the diocese several times, that helped giving a thrust to widen the horizon of the diocese.

His Holiness had a vision for the Malankara Orthodox Church. He wished the Malankara Church to be Known as Indian Orthodox Church and he spent all his energy to preserve the Independence of the Malankara Church. During his time the Orthodox Theological Seminary at Kottayam was affiliated to The Serampore University, Calcutta and the Seminary was upgraded as a degree college. He wanted the Theological College to be made an Independent University for Theology. He executed many administrative innovations and helped to strengthen the sovereignty of the Malankara Orthodox Church and its right to have its own sovereign Head. He was able to project the name and fame of the Church on an international level.

His Holiness led an illustrious life. His prodigious scholarship, intellectual acumen, moral courage and trustworthiness and honesty were well known. His care and concern for others, especially, those who worked with him was well known. His Holiness was an authority on Church Constitution, Church Canon and history. He was closely associated with the Church cases as a layman and he used to seek advises in such matters from experts in the field during the time, especially, his elder brother Advocate Vattakunnel K. Cherian.

His multisided personality, his sensitive and subtle understanding, his gaiety, his human affection, his organization and communication skills, allegiance and commitment and farsighted vision for the Malankara Orthodox Church, above all his deep-rooted steadfast faith in God and ability to provide leadership even at the point of crisis were remarkable. It is a heartening sign of the time that there was a heightened interest in the able leadership of His Holiness.

His other contributions to the liturgy of the Orthodox Church
He started the Malankara Orthodox Archives, to the conserve the rare books and records. School of Liturgical Music was also started at the Seminary by his deep initiative to preserve the same. He was a good exponent in “Eccara” the canonical songs. He was very concerned to preserve the order (‘Niram’) of the songs. For the Theological education of the elderly, he started a course by the name ‘Divya Bodhanam’ which has become very popular now.

His Holiness Baselios Marthoma Mathews I Catholicos quality of sensitivity to his flock’s feelings enabled him to display empathy. Another way which demonstrates love and concern was in his availability. He took efforts to see that he was available to the entire Church. Bava Thirumeni as a God given transformed leader recognized the aspirations of his people, with a long term perspective, doing the right thing at the proper time with divine courage, appreciating our strengths and weaknesses, facing the threats and utilizing the divine plan for our Malankara Orthodox Church. With the full understanding that expectations and reality were far apart, he set his heart to transform expectations into the reality.

The present system of holding the Holy Episcopal Synod, the supreme decision-making body in matters of faith, discipline, order, policy making and planning at least twice in a year at fixed periods and with proper agendas became effective and exercise of authority. He had consecrated “Mooron” twice, very rare function, on April 1, 1977 at Old seminary Chapel, Kottayam and in March 25, 1988 at Devalokam Catholicate Chapel. He had consecrated 10 Bishops (Metropolitans), five at Pazhanji Church on May 15, 1978 and at Puthiacav St Mary’s Church, Mavelikara on May 15, 1985. His Holiness was awarded The Title “The Order of St. Valdimer” by the Patriarch of Russia and as Fellow by the Leningrad Theological Seminary. The Order of St. George of the First Degree was awarded to him by the Georgian Catholicos-Patriarch Ilia II on 30 August 1982 ‘for proacting and strengthening the fraternal ties between Georgian and Indian Churches. He was conferred with a Doctorate Degree (Honoris Cosa) Serampore University.

It was during his tenure the 70th year of the establishment of the Catholicate was celebrated with great pomp and glory in 1982, at Kottayam Nehru Stadium on 12 September 1982 attended by HE Gyani Zail Singh, President of India, as the chief guest and attended by host of dignitaries from several Churches around the world. Mathews I had close ties with several Orthodox primates. A number of Patriarchs, Catholicoi and Metropolitans from sister Orthodox Churches visited India during his reign, including Pope John Paul II on February 8, 1986, and HH in turn also visited several foreign countries as the guest of Orthodox primate.

On April 27, 1991 he relinquished the Titles of The Catholicos and Malankara Metropolitan due to failing health. He passed away on November 8, 1996 at 7.40 A.M. and is interred at Devalokam Aramana Chapel the next day. His top concern was the Church, his top dream was an independent Church and he used his talents, time and energy for the good of the Church.