Malankara Sabhayude Dharma Yogi

He was the first to use the term ‘AUTOCEPHALOUS CHURCH’, in our Church.

First to start a monastic community of the MOSC, Bethany Ashram

First Metropolitan of the Outside Kerala Diocese, MOSC.

He took the Malankara Orthodox Church outside India to a Global Level.

H.G. Alexios Mar Theodosius was born on August 28, 1888 in the Mattackal family, Niranam as the son of Mathai (Chandikunju) and Kunjadamma. Young Alexander had his early school education in MGM High School, Thiruvalla and higher schooling at Mar Dionysius High School, Kottayam and College education in the CMS College Kottayam. M. M. Alexander was called to the Ministry of God at the of age 19, in 1907 and was ordained as Deacon, at Cheriyappally Kottayam by Pulikkottil Joseph Mar Dionysius Malankara Metropolitan. Dn. Alexander joined Barisol Divinity College in East Bengal 1915 and later in 1918 Serampore for Theological studies. Dn. Alexander was ordained as priest, Fr Alexios in 1918 by H.G. Yuyakim Mar Ivanios Metropolitan at Parumala Seminary.

While at Serampore, Fr. Alexios came in contact with Fr. P. T. Geevarghese Panicker (Later Mar Ivanios) Both together established a unique monastery at Mundamala in Perinnad near Ranni in 1918 at the 100 Acre land donated by Mr. E. J. John. This institution was named as Bethany. After Fr. Geevarghese Panicker joined Catholic, Fr. Alexios alone worked with vigor and gave a new life to Bethany. Today Bethany has grown into a complex of institutions of monastery, convent, schools and hospital.

On 7th April 1938, H.H. Baselius Geevarghese II consecrated Fr. Alexios as H.G. Alexios Mar Theodosius for Quilon and Outside Kerala Diocese. H.G. Alexios Mar Theodosius was known as and commonly called as Abuna Alexios. He was the great champion of Orthodoxy. He strongly argued that the Church must be autocephalous and synodical. He was the first to use the term “AUTOCEPHALOUS CHURCH” in the history of the Malankara Orthodox Church. According to him, there was no compromise with truth and the Orthodoxy of the Church, and he insisted on it. He never went astray from his conviction, as was the conviction of his spiritual Guru Vattasseril Thirumeni. H.G. Alexios Mar Theodosius O.I.C was a great ascetic; a man of prayer and he was a well-known retreat father. He is a model to all generation in matters such as vigilance and dedication in spiritual affairs.

There was not a single person equal to Mar Theodosius to teach the precious faith and unique quality of Orthodoxy. According to him, the Orthodox faith is true, pure and straight if anyone asks what orthodoxy or Orthodox faith is, we can with confidence say that it is the faith of Mar Theodosius. There are very few Church leaders who have established their identity and used their talents in various avenues for the Church. Alexios Mar Theodosius Metropolitan was a leader who, was known for ecumenism to fighting for the Freedom of the Church, from spiritual organizations to monasteries, and starting congregations in Outside Kerala.  

He on one side was an able administrator and on the other side he was a real monk. Fr. Alexios was very sad, when in 1930 Mar Ivanios Thirumeni left the Malankara Orthodox Church and the Bethany Ashram with all the portable properties. However, this incident transformed Fr. Alexios to be a bold character, with strong personality. He led the Bethany ashram to new heights and ensured the spiritual growth of the ashram and at the same time he led the Church in all legal suits that finally get a favourable judgment for the Church. So, he was not only the founder of the Bethany Ashram but he also gave a fresh lease of life to it. He in fact gave a second life to the Bethany Ashram. This helped a lot in reviving the spirituality of the Malankara Orthodox Church especially because it is the first monastic community of the church HG. Alexios Mar Theodosius was an able Administrator and a leader with a great and committed vision and dedication. Talking of his contribution to the outside Kerala diocese, he laid the foundations for both the administration and spiritual growth among the outside Kerala Syrian Christians. He was instrumental in forming the Indian Orthodox Mission in Madras in 1947, where he trained a group of educated priests and appointed them in the important cities of India. He made various journeys across India to meet Syrian Christians. In 1952, he visited New Delhi and felt the need of having a Church in the national capital there by paving way to the formation of St. Mary’s Cathedral, Hauz khas, New Delhi and appointed a priest. He also visited the then Prime Minister of the Republic India Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru.

Thirumeni helped the Church to break its boundaries of Kerala and extend it to other parts of India. He taken a lot of effort and pain to reach the people of outside Kerala and to communicate with them. This action by Thirumeni holds historical significance because started to participate in Orthodox worship. The initial worships in Orthodox rites in major cities Delhi, Mumbai, Calcutta, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Chennai were begun on the behest of Mar Theodosius. Now all these places are either headquarters of a diocese or regions with many established Orthodox parishes.

It was the dedicated and selfless efforts of HG. Alexios Mar Theodosius that was instrumental in taking the Church to the global level.The Church actively started to participate in ecumenical meetings viz. the Oxford Faith and Order Meeting and the Life and Work conference at Edinburg both of which were held in the same year 1937. The Church was invited to both the conferences solely due to the efforts of HG. Alexios Mar Theodosius Thirumeni. It was in this meeting, that it was decided to form the World Council of Churches (WCC). Till then nobody knew about our Church but by attending these two conferences, we were able to draw the attention of the world churches.

In 1948, the Bava Thirumeni HH Baselious Geevarghese II, the supreme head of the Indian Orthodox Church selected HG. Alexios Mar Theodosius and HG. Philipose Mar Theophilos to attend the Amsterdam WCC Conference in 1948. Theodosius Thirumeni had the privilege and honour to deliver a speech in the conference. He was elected into the WCC central committee. Thirumeni played a key role in ensuring the participation of the Church in ecumenical meetings and thus he could take our church to the global level. He built the foundation over which LL Philipose Mar Theophilos and Paulose Mar Gregorios built the ecumenical movements in the Church.

To sum it up, HG. Alexious Mar Theodosius has done so many things during his lifetime which helped revive the lost spirituality in the Orthodox Church. He truly lived up to his name Theodosius which means “Giving to God”. He lived as person who gave his best for God and the society around thereby showing the love of Christ to others around him. The Indian Orthodox Church is blessed to have many such great and able leaders both in the past and in the present with a great vision.  They are only a few Church leaders who has suffered more than Mar Theodosius. His contribution and his life is rather unknown to most of the Malankara Orthodox Church members, but those who know him remember him with fire in their hearts.

LL HG Alexios Mar Theodosius was called to the heavenly abode, on 6th August 1965, and his mortal remains were interred at St. John’s Chapel, Bethany Ashram, Ranni-Perunad. An austere ascetic, humble monk, good shepherd who led a simple life, and whose simplicity, love, care and concern have inspired many, rests in calmness and serenity of Mundamala, be truly remembered by many. May the prayers and intercessions of the holy father be our refuge always.