LL Yuhannon Mar Severios Metropolitan – May 16

Yuhanon Mar Severios Metropolitan, was born as the youngest son of the five children of Narimattathil Varghese Avira and Mariamma, in St Thomas parish of Thrikothamangalam, Puthupally, on 14 January 1920. Yuhanon (Kunjkunj), as he was known had his preliminary schooling in Thrikothamangalam Vadkekara primary School. He had developed a deep interest and aptitude for spiritual studies. His family had a very strong spiritual background of Syrian Christians. It was his grandmother who paved a way for yearning to serve Christ. In his childhood priest Rev. Fr. K. V. Geevarghese played an important role in guiding young Yuhanon for priestly service and he also mastered Syriac language under his guidance. He joined Dayara and he became a student of Augen Mar Timotheos metropolitan. He was proficient in Syriac, handled Malayalam and Sanskrit with ease. He was very conversant in Orthodox Bible doctrines. He started his spiritual studies from Muvattupuzha Seminary, 1938 Dec to 1940 April under Augen Mar Timotheos, Metropolitan. He stayed in Pampady Dayara for nine months and there he spent time with Kuriakose Mar Gregorios Metropolitan. There he acquired and imbibed the monastic lifestyle and spiritual living, of Pampady Thirumeni  

He was ordained as a deacon on 7 April 1943 at the Aramana Chapel, Muvattupuzha and as a priest, on 7 July at Kurinji Church from Augen Mar Timotheos Metropolitan. In 1940, considering his scholarly knowledge of Scripture, faith, and heritage of our Church and pious lifestyle, he was given the position of Malpan in seminary. He was a Malpan in the Seminary for about seven and half years. In 1948, On 26 February 1966 he was made Ramban by HH Baselios Augen I, Catholicos. The same year on 24 August at St. Peter’s & St. Paul’s Church, Kolencherry he was consecrated as Yuhanon Mar Severios Metropolitan, along with H.G Philipose Mar Theophilos, and H.G Thomas Mar Themotheos (HH Didymos I) by HH Baselios Augen I, Catholicos. From 1 October 1966 he took charge of Kochi diocese.

Mar Severios, who acquired deep scholarship in the Syriac language translated into Malayalam the Lenten prayers, the Canonical prayers of the priests, the 3- day lent prayers, and many ‘Yama’ Prathanagal and ‘Rehasya’ Prathanagal. He developed guidelines for worship services (Srushusha Samivdanam) of our Church. He was the final authoritative word, in our worship services and liturgical tradition and order. He was a very humble, faithful servant of our Lord and lover of mankind. He maintained a strict, disciplined schedule of daily worship. He visited the Eastern Orthodox Churches of Russia and Romania.  

Yuhannon Mar Severios Metropolitan of blessed memory, ordained by his spiritual son, HH Baselius Marthoma Paulose II, our present Catholicos and Supreme head of the Malankara Orthodox Church to the sub diaconate, on April 8, 1972, full Diaconate on May 31, 1973 and to priesthood at Sion Seminary, Koratty on June 2, 1973, , . In 1980 onwards he decided to live a retired live, due to ill health.  

The historic, and pilgrimage centre Koonamkurishu Church in Mattancherry was renovated in 1974 under the initiative of the late Metropolitan Yuhanon Mar Severios of Cochin Diocese. He Left for Parumala seminary in January 1990 and returned for Koratty seminary in May 1990. He left for his heavenly abode on 16 May 1990 and was laid to rest in Sion Seminary, Koratty, under the leadership of HH Baselios Marthoma Mathews II, Catholicos.