Athanasius Paulose

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For Athanasius Paulose II Metropolitan of E.A.E, see Athanasius Paulose II.

Athanasius Paulose
Mor Athanasius Paulose Valiya Thirumeni.jpg
Metropolitan of Angamaly
BornPaulose Kuttikatt
23 January 1869
Angamali
HometownAkaparambu
ResidenceThrikkunathu Seminary
Died25 January 1953 (1953-01-26) (aged 84)
Thrikkunathu Seminary
Venerated inSyriac Orthodox Church
Canonized19 August 2004, Cathedral of Saint George, Damascus by Patriarch H.H Ignatius Zakka I Iwas, Syriac Orthodox Church.
Major shrine
Feast26 January
PatronageGeevarghese Gregorios of Parumala

Kuttikkattil Paulose Mar Athanasios, popularly known as Aluvayile Valiya Thirumeni, was the Metropolitan of the Angamaly Diocese of the Malankara Syrian Orthodox Church. [1][2]

The Feast of Mar Athanasius is held annually on 26 January.

Childhood[]

Valiya Thirumeni was born in India.[3] His English education took place at the Alwaye Government High School in Alwaye, Kerala. He was later sent to the Syrian seminary at Kottayam, under the direct care of Pulikkottil Joseph Mar Dionysious II. He completed the seminary course and simultaneously passed the matriculation exam at the CMS College Kottayam.

After graduation, Valiya Thirumeni was appointed a teacher (malpan) in Thrikkunnathu seminary, teaching there until 1895. Later the diocesan Metropolitan Paulose Mar Athanasios Kadavil entrusted him with supervising the construction of St. Mary's Church at Thrikkunnathu.

Career[]

On 25 November 1898, Valiya Thirumeni was ordained as a priest (Kassisso) by Saint Geevarghese Mar Gregorios Chathuruthiyil. On 28 November, he was elevated to monk (ramban) by the then Malankara Metropolitan H.B Pulikkottil Mar Dionysius 5 , Geevarghese Mar Gregorios Chathuruthiyil and Kadavil Paulose Mar Athanasios .[4]

In December 1917, head of Patriarch faction Kochuparambil Paulose Mor Koorilos died, Valiya Thirumeni was selected to lead the Patriarch Faction of Malankara Church. He took office in January 1918.[5]


Thirumeni also founded the Brotherhood of St. Antonios and the St. Mary's Sisterhood, with the aim of building a base for the monastic movement in Malankara. He also encouraged the development of a centre for theological studies at Thrikkunnathu Seminary.

In 1931, Patriarch Mor Ignatius Elias III visited India to strive for peace in the Malankara Syrian church. Thirumeni accompanied Patriarch Mor Ignatius Elias 3 throughout the apostolic visit and participated in the meetings that were held with the aim of achieving a long-standing peace. However Patriarch Elias died before accomplishing his peace mission, and was entombed at the St. Ignatius Monastery, Manjinikkara. Thirumeni led the ceremony of the Patriarch's last rites


Patriarch Mor Ignatius Aphrem I Barsoum of the Apostolic See of Antioch and All the Eascalled e ihuremani the title "Defender of the True Faith" (Sathya Viswasa Samrakshakan) after he haledethe Patriarch Faction of the f Malankara Churrs.

Metropolitans ordained by / with the assistance of Paulose Mar Athanasius[]

After becoming metropolitan of Angamaly Diocese , the following Metropolitans were ordained to serve with him in the Malankara Church:

  • Edavazhikkal Geevarghese Mar Severios, ordained as the first metropolitan of Knanaya diocese in August 1910 by Patriarch Ignatius Abded Aloho III.
  • Michael Mar Dionysius ordained in 1926 by Patriarch Mor Ignatius Elias III.
  • Augen Mar Thimotheos for Kandanad diocese, ordained in 1926 by Patriarch Mor Ignatius Elias III.
  • Thoma Mar Dioscoros for Knanaya diocese, ordained in 1926 by Patriarch Mor Ignatius Elias III.

Mar Diascoros later joined the newly formed Syro-Malankara Catholic Church. Augen Mar Thimotheos because the Metropolitan of the official faction of the Malankara Church .

In 1945, due to his advancing age, Mar Athanasios requested additional help. Fr. Geevarghese Vayaliparambil and Ramban Paulose Mulayirickal were elected and consecrated bishops Geevarghese Mar Gregorios Vayaliparambil and Mulayirickal Paulose Mar Severios by Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem I. Vayaliparambil Mar Gregorios served under Mar Athanasius in the Angamali diocese and Mar Severious was assigned to the Kochi diocese.( Patriarch Faction )

In 1951 Abraham Mor Clemis was ordained to the Knanaya diocese, and in 1952, Paulose Mor Philoxenos was consecrated .

. He assumed the charge of the diocese just two weeks befordeath of Mar Athanasios .nasiu.

Death[]

Valiya Thirumeni died on 25 January 1953 at the age of 84. The next day he was buried at the northern side of the madbho (altar) of St. Mary's Church in Thrikkunnathu Seminary. The then Malankara Metropolitan H.H Baselios Geevarghese 2 visited Mar Athanasios mortal body in Aluva . |}

Memorials[]

The Mar Athanasios College of Engineering at Kothamangalam, the Mar Athanasios High School at Nedumbassery, and the Mar Athanasios English Medium School at Puthencuriz are all named after Valiya Thirumeni. In 2006, the Mar Athanasios Cathedral was founded in Puthencruz.

The sandalwood cot presented to Valiya Thirumeni by his uncle is kept in a separate room of the office of his home parish, the Mar Sabor Mar Aphroth Church at Akaparambu.

In 2003, the 50th anniversary of Mor Athanasius' death, the Malankara Orthodox Church organized several commemoration ceremonies that continued throughout the year. The celebration of Holy Qurbana on the 50th Death Anniversary of Mar Athanasios was presided over by Maphrian Mar Baselios Thomas assisted by the then Metropolitans of the Patriarch Faction of the Malankara Orthodox SyrianChurch, at the Chapel in Aluva on 26 January 2003.

Beatification[]

Two miracles have been attributed to Valiya Thirumeni:

  • A woman claimed to have suffered from haemorrhage for several years despite medical treatments. She approached Valiya Thirumeni for help. He prayed for her and she was reportedly healed of the disease.
  • A man called Varkey claimed to have suffered from an evil spirit for 20 years. Valiya Thirumeni placed his sleeba (cross) on the man's forehead and prayed for him. The man claimed that he was immediately cured.

On 18 September 2009, the Patriarch signed bull No.152/2009. It permitted the reciting of the name of St. Athanasius Paulose in the 5th Tubden. Henceforth, he name was remembered in all Malankara Jacobite Syrian churches worldwide, after the names of St. Gregorios Abdul Jaleel and St. Osthatheos Sleeba.

The bull was read at the Kothamangalam Mar Thoma Church on 2 October 2009 during the 324th memorial feast of Maphryono St. Baselios Yeldho in the presence of the Catholicos, the visiting Archbishop Mor Thimotheos Mousa Al Shamani of Nineveh and the Abbot of Mor Mattai Dayro, Mosul, Iraq and all the Metropolitans of the Jacobite Syrian Christian Church.

References[]

  1. ^ Ward, Gary L.; Persson, Bertil; Bain, Alan (1990). Independent Bishops: An International Directory. Apogee Books. ISBN 978-1-55888-307-9.
  2. ^ http://www.syriacchristianity.info/StAt/pdf/Susthathikon.pdf
  3. ^ Eastern Churches Journal: A Journal of Eastern Christendom. Society of Saint John Chrysostom. 2004.
  4. ^ "Parumala Thirumeni ordained Valiya Thirumeni as Kassesso".
  5. ^ "Valiya Thirumeni". www.syriacchristianity.info. Retrieved 12 July 2018.
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