Mar Thoma VII | 5th July | 1808 – 1809

Mar Thoma VII was a bishop of the Malankara Church from 1796 and Malankara Metropolitan from April 1808 to July 1809. Mathen, as he known in his childhood, was born in Pakalomattom family, one of the oldest families in Kerala. He became a deacon and a priest at a very early age. Mathen Kathanar, as he was then known, was the nephew of Valiya Mar Dionysius

Mathen Kathanar was consecrated as his successor, by Mar Thoma VI on 5 May 1796 at Chengannur Church and was given the traditional episcopal title Mar Thoma VII. He was well known as an efficient administrator, deeply religious but was a quiet and reserved person. He was a Bible Scholar and interpreted the Bible with ease and solemnity. Deep thinker and good interpreter of Bible. He led a disciplined and a strict ascetic. He loved solitary and in silence. Though his tenure was (1808-1809) was brief, many administrative and leadership lessons were to be learnt from him.

During his time, a difficult period in the history of Travancore State, the Church was able to help Travancore government by depositing an amount as fixed deposit. Soon after becoming the Metropolitan Mar Thoma VII continued to discuss with Col. Macaulay, the British resident, and the church decided to deposit as loan in perpetuity a sum of 3000 Poovarahan (Market value of a poovarahan, known as Star Pagoda, had a market value of Rs 3.50 in 2002). The deposit was handed over to Col. Maccaulay on 1 December 1808 and he issued the receipt. The agreement stipulated that interest should be paid to the Malankara Metropolitan. It was this deposit was later now known as Vattipanam.

On I December 1808, the interest money (Vattipanam) that was collected as a fixed deposit of the Church was handed over to the Government and receipt thereto accepted. After the enthronement, Mar Thoma VII lived at Puthenkavu (near Chengannur). But soon he moved his headquarters to Kandanad. There he became seriously ill. He did not get time to call a meeting of the Church leaders to select his successor. So, he invited one of his relatives Thoma Kathanar, to his bed side, laid his hands on him prayed and declared him as Mar Thoma VIII. Two days after this, on 4 July 1809 Mar Thoma VII died. The funeral service was conducted by Mar Thoma VIII. He was laid to rest at St. Peter’s & St. Paul’s Orthodox Church, Kolenchery (Kolenchery Palli).