Sleeba Mar Osthathios – Mar 19 I (1854 – 1930)

Sleeba Mar Osthathios was born in the village, Kafarso, (near Shrehre) near the city of Amid, south-east Turkey on 1 January 1854. He was born in the Abakkar family to Salbi and Naboona. He had two brothers and three sisters. He was baptised with the name was ‘Saliba’ (Sleebo/Sleeba). His father Salbi died when Sleeba (Saliba) was 3 years old. A few years later his two brothers & two sisters also died of a deadly disease. However, Saliba, his mother & one sister survived the epidemic.

His father’s brother, Priest Dhenha, was his first teacher, from the age of seven. Later he learned Syriac and theology from very Rev. Samuel Ramban who was the vicar of the Damascus Church. Even as he continued his studies, he worked in nearby villages for his livelihood.  In 1849, Very Rev. Samuel Ramban came to Malankara (Kerala, India) with Mar Athanasius Stephanos at the direction of Mar Yacoub II, the Patriarch of Antioch. Ramban Samuel returned home after eight years. At that time, the protestant missionaries were causing disturbance and disorder in the Church.

Mar Patriarch Peter III came to India in 1875, to sort out the creeping influence of the Protestant reformation movement sponsored by the British CMS. In 1880, the Patriarch Mar Peter III ordained Samuel Ramban Bishop by name Athanasius Shem’vun. In the same year Sleeba was ordained Kooroyo by Mar Athanasius Shemavun, his Malphono (Malpan/teacher). Mar Athanasius Shem’vun and Deacon Sleeba travelled to Malankara in January of 1881, stayed at Puthenpally, Kottayam. They preached the Gospel, both within the Church and outside the Church. In 1889, the Court Order came in favour of Pulikkottil Joseph Mar Dionysius. Subsequently, Mar Athanasius Shem’vun and Deacon Sleeba moved to Old Seminary, Kottayam.

On 11 June 1889 Mar Athanasius Shem’vun departed for his heavenly abode while staying at Old Seminary, Kottayam. The mortal remains were interred at Puthenpally, Kottayam. This was indeed saddening for Deacon Sleeba, when he lost his teacher in India, but was not discouraged at the loss, instead continued to work in the vineyard of the Lord.

Mar Gregorius Geevarghese (Chathuruthil) had a special affection for Deacon Sleeba and Deacon also formed a close fraternity with St. Gregorios Geevarghese of Parumala. Deacon Sleeba visited Mar Gregorius at Parumala on several occasions. It was Syriac, that is believed to have brought both of them together. St. Antony of Egypt, was of a great inspiration for both. In 1895, Mar Gregorius visited the Holy Land for which all the arrangements were made by Deacon Sleeba and he accompanied the Bishop on his visit and provided great assistance during the pilgrimage. Mar Gregorius departed for the eternal rest, on 2 November 1902. Deacon Sleeba again felt a big vacuum, but he continued with the gospel work. He learned to speak in Malayalam, though with a foreign accent.  

In 1906, Deacon Sleeba returned to Mosul, Iraq along with Deacon Mathew (Chettalathumkara) who later became Catholicos Augen. Both of them stayed at the monastery of Mar Mathai, Mosul. Mar Coorilos Elias Kudso, the Reesh Dayro, ordained him as a Ramban, at the Monastery of Mor Mattay, near Mosul.

After two weeks Ramban Sleeba was ordained Priest. In March 1908, Patriarch Abded Aloho II ordained Ramban Sleeba as Bishop by name Osthathios Sleeba at the Church of Forty Martyrs of Sebaste, at Mosul and send him to India.

Mar Dionysius Joseph was in his old age and Mar Ivanios Murimattathil retired from his administrative duties. In these circumstances in 1908 the meeting of the representatives of the Church met and elected Priest Geevarghese (Vattasseril) and Ramban Paulose (Kochuparambil) to be ordained Metropolitans. They went to Mosul and the Patriarch Abded Aloho II ordained them Metropolitans at Jerusalem. The three newly ordained Bishops, Mar Dionysius Geevarghese Vattasseril and Coorilos Paulose Kochuparambil, and Sleeba Mar Osthathios, returned to Malankara along with Ramban Augen.

Mar Osthathios remained devoted to prayer & fasting, his saintliness being observed by all whom he encountered. He was a saintly figure and Syrian father venerated with great affection and love by the Malankara Syrian Christians. His tireless worked to spread the Word of God, that attracted many to the faith of the Church.  He lived a life of extreme simplicity, with no material wealth, in prayer, meditation, helping the poor and needy. He was known for his piety known far and wide. Mar Osthathios was one of the pioneers of the Sunday School movement in Malankara and ministered for the Church in Malankara, establishing and consecrating many number of Parishes. His books originally written in Syriac were translated into Malayalam.

After serving the Holy Church for decades, of which 25 years as a deacon, Mar Osthathios Sleeba, at the age of 76, reposed in the Lord on March 19^th, 1930, and his mortal remains are interred at St. Mary’s Puthen Palli Arthat, Kunamkulam.

References: Martyrs, Saints & Prelates of The Syriac Orthodox Church, Cor-Episcopo K. Mani Rajan,