Baselios Marthoma Didymos I

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
(Redirected from
Baselios Thoma Didymos I
)
"Didymos I" redirects here. For the asteroid moon, see Dimorphos.

National College (BA)
Maston Training College (BT)
Christ Church College (MA
)

Baselios Marthoma Didymus I born C. T. Thomas (29 October 1921 – 26 May 2014) was the primate of the

Catholicate of the East was established India and the 20th Malankara Metropolitan.[1] He was the 7th Catholicos of East.[2]

Early life

C.T Thomas I was born as the son of Ittyavira Thomas of Chiramel-Mulamootil House in

Niranam
, he completed his high school education. In his speeches, Didymos I used to say that his parents who led lives of prayer and munificence were his first role models.

Education

He passed his Intermediate from

Tiruchirapalli in 1951, his Baccalaureate degree in Theology from Maston Training College, Chennai in 1954, and his Magister of Art in English literature from Christ Church College, Kanpur in 1961. His favorite authors were Charles Lamb in English and Vaikom Muhammad Basheer in Malayalam
.

Career

As Rev. Fr. C. T. Thomas, he served as headmaster of

St. Stephens School, Pathanapuram
. Within a year of taking charge as the headmaster of Ponnayya High School, Rev. Fr. C. T. Thomas was able to quadruple the pass percentage of students, who were chiefly the poor children from marginalized families.

Later, Fr. C. T. Thomas also served as Professor and Head of the Department of English at St. Stephen's College, Pathanapuram, as well as the vice-principal of the College and as President of the Orthodox Youth Movement.

Priesthood

C. T. Thomas started his service to the Church as a

Mount Tabor Dayara
.

Presbyterate

On 16 May 1965,

Mount Tabor Dayara. The Malankara Syrian Christian Association which convened at Kottayam M. D. Seminary on 28 December 1965 and elected him to the office of Metropolitan along with four others priests, following the ancient tradition of, selecting bishops from the monastic ranks. Didymos I was consecrated as metropolitan bishop on 24 August 1966 at Kolencherry St. Peter's & St. Paul's Church and served as the metropolitan of the Malabar diocese
from 1968.

On 24 August 1966 at Kolencherry, the Catholicos Baselios Augen I ordained him as Metropolitan and given the name Thomas Mar Timotheos, along with Dr. Philipose Mar Theophilos and Yuhanon Mar Severios. Following the order of the Catholicos, Mar Thimotheos became the assistant metropolitan of Malabar diocese on 11 November 1966. Pathrose Mar Osthathios, the metropolitan of Malabar, died on 2 February 1968. Mar Thimotheos succeeded him as the metropolitan of Malabar diocese.

Bishoporic

Election

Mar Thimotheos became the Metropolitan of

Baselios Marthoma Mathews II, decided to abdicate
the throne in 2005.

On 29 October 2005, Mar Thimotheos assumed the office of Malankara Metropolitan, and was installed as the Catholicos of the East and given the name Moran Mar Baselios Marthoma Didymos I on 31 October 2005 by his predecessor Mathews II.[3] Didymos I was the first Catholicos of the East to be enthroned by his predecessor.

Enthronement

The enthronement took place at Parumala Seminary on 31 October 2005 at the age of 84. In addition to convening five sessions of Malankara Association (including one meeting that comprised two individual sessions), Didymos I ordained 14 Metropolitan Bishops (7 each on two occasions - at Puthuppally St. George Church on 19 February 2009[4] and at Kottayam Mar Elia Cathedral on 12 May 2010[5]). During the reign of Didymos I, the strength of the Episcopal Synod became 33, the highest till date.

Consecration of Myron

Didymos I had, as a priest, attended the consecration of

Baselios Marthoma Mathews II). As the Catholicos of the East, Didymos I himself officiated in the consecration of holy Myron at Devalokam Catholicate Palace
on 5 April 2009.

Following the Church's tradition of honoring eminent prelates of the past, Didymos I bestowed the title "Sabha-Thejas" (meaning 'great luminary of the Church') on Malankara Metropolitan

Mar Dionysius V. The ancient churches declared as pilgrimage centers by Didymos I include St Mary's Orthodox Church, Kallooppara[6] and St. George Orthodox Church, Cheppad. He visited Church members abroad.[7][8]

Administrative reforms

Didymos I was the first Catholicos to preside over an official church secretariat, which administers to the affairs of the church. He also introduced progressive reforms in the administration of parishes, including the right for ladies of the congregations to participate in the parish assemblies (called palli-pothu-yogam). Some of the larger dioceses were divided creating new dioceses, in order to ensure more effective pastoral care and administration.

Fraternal visits

After his enthronement, Didymos I visited the Holy Land and met the

Ethiopian Patriarch Abune Paulos and Armenian Catholicos of Cilicia Aram I
.

Retirement and death

Didymos I abdicated the throne on 31 October 2010, at the age of 89. The following day he personally enthroned his successor

Mount Tabor Dayara, Pathanapuram
, the monastery which he called his home.

Succession


Oriental Orthodox titles
Preceded by
Catholicos of the East & Malankara Metropolitan

2005–2010 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
Pathrose Mar Osthathios
 Metropolitan of the Diocese of Malabar
1968–2005 		Succeeded by
Zacharias Mar Theophilus

Books

Didymos I wrote three books in Malayalam with the titles ജീവിതം സംസാരിക്കുന്നു (Life Speaks), ഒരു മഹര്ഷി സംസാരിക്കുന്നു (A Sage Speaks) and ശുശ്രൂഷാ നടപടിച്ചട്ടങ്ങള് (Rules and Regulations of Service).

References

  1. ^ "His Holiness Baselios Marthoma Didymos I, The seventh Catholicos of the East in Malankara (2005-2010) |". mosc.in. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
  2. ^ "Catholicos Emeritus H H Baselios Marthoma Didymos I passes away". Christian Conference of Asia. Archived from the original on 14 July 2021. Retrieved 30 August 2020.
  3. ^ "Baselios Marthoma Didimos I". orthodoxalmayavedhi.org. 31 October 2005. Archived from the original on 27 May 2014.
  4. ^ "Seven new bishops for Orthodox Church". 20 February 2009. Retrieved 6 May 2019 – via www.thehindu.com.
  5. YouTube
  6. ^ "About Us". St Mary's Orthodox Church, Kallooppara. Retrieved 24 September 2021.
  7. ^ "Apostolic visits". Archived from the original on 28 September 2007. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
  8. ^ "Tv-shows - TV Shows". www.bangalorewishesh.com. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
  9. ^ "Baselios Mar Thoma Paulose II installed". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 6 May 2019.
  10. ^ "Baselios Thoma Didymos I passes away". Kaumudi Online. 26 May 2014.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Baselios_Marthoma_Didymos_I&oldid=1208322401"