Konat Geevarghese Mar Julios Pampakuda – Mar 22 I (1829 – 1885)

Konat Geevarghese Mar Julios hailed from the ancient famous Konat family.  Geevarghese was born to Konat Mathen & Kunjilachar of the Konat family in 1829. He studied theology under the guidance of his relatives Malankara Malpans Konat Abraham  & Yuhannon Konatt and became a great scholar in Syriac language and Orthodox theology and traditions.

After has ordination as Kashisha, priest Geevarghese played a significant role in teaching the priesthood aspirants of Malankara Church. He taught Seminary students at Pampakuda. St. Gregorios Geevarghese of Parumala was one of his students. Fr. Geevarghese immersed himself in the translation of Syriac literature and teaching. He helped the then, Malankara Metropolitan Mar Dionysius V (Pulikkottil Joseph II) in correspondence with the Patriarchate in Syriac and also provided necessary support for litigation purposes by being an expert in Canon Law. Fr. Geevarghese established a Syriac printing press as well, as he was interested in the propagation of Syriac language, its printing etc.

On 17 June 1875 he was elevated to the rank of Ramban by the Patriarch Peter III, at Chiralayam Church. He accompanied His Holiness as his interpreter until his return. On 3 December 1876, he was consecrated Metropolitan with the title Julius by the Patriarch III of Antioch, along with Kadavil Athanasius Mar Paulos, at North Paravur Church. He accepted the selection to the metropolitan rank rather reluctantly. He was consecrated as the first bishop of the newly formed Thumpamon diocese, until 1883, of the Malankara Orthodox Church, which was one of the 7 dioceses formed in 1876. He diligently took care, of the diocese, visited the Churches too, however scholarly work continued to be his passion, thus spent most of his time in learning Syriac staying at Pambakuda Church. He presented many books from his collection in the court and presented himself as a witness in Canon law.

Seeing his keen interest in literary works, Patriarch Peter III, had sent Ramban Julios, to get training in a printing press run by European missionaries in Kochi. Mar Julios continued learn the functioning of a press, at Kochi. In 1879 he started ‘Kerala Deepam Press’ at Pampakuda Church. The first machine was locally made with the help of local carpenters and blacksmiths. The matrix for printing Syriac was first made in Kochi with the help of Mar Dionysius V and encouragement of Patriarch Elias III and later even the matrix was made in Pampakuda. The fonts were created in Pampakuda itself. The first books to be printed were the prayer book for the lent and Syriac lectionary and later on published Holy Qurbana Thaksa, among others.

Sadly, he was not able to continue as diocesan Metropolitan for much longer. On 21st March 1885, Mar Julius Geevarghese Konat reposed in the Lord due to illness. He is entombed in the Konat family Chapel at St. John’s Ephesus Orthodox Syrian Church, Valiya Palli, Pampakuda.

The Pampakuda press that was established in 1879 by Konat Geevarghese Mar Julios Metropolitan, was once again restarted by his successor Konat Mathen Malpan in the name of its founder. It is widely accepted that Very Rev. Konat Mathen Malpan was the pioneer in translating prayers from Syriac into Malayalam. In 1910 Mathen Malpan translated and published a prayer book popularly known as Pampakuda Namaskaram, which is being widely used even today for daily prayers and meditation.