Geevarghese Ivanios
First Metropolitan Archbishop of Trivandrum, Founder and First head of the Syro Malankara Catholic Church. | |
Church | Syro-Malankara Catholic Church |
See | Syro-Malankara Catholic Major Archeparchy of Trivandrum |
Installed | 11 June 1932 |
Term ended | 15 July 1953 |
Predecessor | None (seat created) |
Successor | Aboun Mor Benedict Gregorios Thangalathil OIC |
Orders | |
Ordination | 15 September 1908 by Vattasseril Dionysius |
Consecration | 1 May 1925 by Baselios Geevarghese I |
Personal details | |
Born | P. T Geevarghese 21 September 1882 Mavelikkara, Kerala |
Died | 15 July 1953 Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala | (aged 70)
Buried | Saint Mary's Malankara Syrian Catholic Cathedral Church, Pattom, Trivandrum |
Nationality | India |
Previous post(s) | Metropolitan Archbishop of Bethany Ashram of Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church |
Aboun Mor Ivanios "P. T." Geevarghese Panikkervettil, OIC (born 21 September 1882 as Panikkervettil Thomas Panicker Geevarghese - died 15 July 1953) was the first
Family history, childhood and education
P. T Geevarghese was born in Mavelikkara, Kerala, India, on 21 September 1882 to Thomas Panicker and Annamma Panicker.
He was a descendant of the aristocratic tharavad of Panickervettil in Mavelikkara within the erstwhile Indian princely state of Travancore, currently in the Alappuzha district of Kerala. The Panickervettil family was honored with the title of 'Mylitta Panicker' bestowed upon by the Travancore rulers.
P. T Geevarghese had his early education in Protestant and government schools. From 1897 he attended M. D. Seminary High School, Kottayam and pursued his higher studies at Serampore College and Madras Christian College (M.C.C.). He completed his matriculation education in 1899: before which he received minor orders (of clerical life) on 20 September 1898. [2]
Deacon
He was ordained a deacon by Pulikkottil Dionysius then the
Priestly life
He was ordained to the priesthood as P.T. Geevarghese on 15 September 1908 by Vattasseril Dionysius then the Malankara Metropolitan of Malankara Orthodox Church. Geevarghese was popularly known as M A Achan, as he was the first priest with an MA degree in Malankara.[4] At the same time, he took the initiative to empower the Malankara Church with hierarchical autonomy. He became instrumental to erect Catholicate for the Malankara Church on 5 September 1912. After the establishment of Catholicate in 1912 Malankara Church divided into two, one under the leadership of Malankara Metropolitan Vatteseril Dionysius (bishop's party) and one under Anthiochan Jacobite Patriarch (Bava Party). Geevarghese was belonging to Bishop's party.
Professorship in Serampore
In 1912 Vattasseril Dionysius received an invitation to attend a conference at Calcutta. Dionysius selected Geevarghese to accompany him to Calcutta to attend the conference. At the conference, they met Dr. Howels the principal of Serampore College who requested the Metropolitan to avail the service of Geevarghese as the professor of the College. The metropolitan permitted Geevarghese to take up the task. He made use of this opportunity to educate the Malankara Youth. About 20 young people from Kerala reached Calcutta for higher education.[5]
At Serampore, Geevarghese got more time for prayer and contemplation. He came across the writings of
Foundation of the Bethany Ashram
On his return from Calcutta, Geevarghese looked for a location to establish an ashram. One of his friends E. John Vakeel donated 100 acres (400,000 m2) of land at Mundanmala,
While at Serampore Geevarghese was thinking of the empowerment of the Syrian Christian women through education. To realize this idea, he took initiative to give education and training to the selected group of young girls with the help of the Epiphany Sisters of England working at Serampore. He founded the Bethany Madom (literally Bethany Great House or convent) for the women religious in 1925.
Bishop of Bethany
It was decided by the Malankara Synod to ordain Geevarghese as the Bishop of Bethany. He was ordained a bishop of the Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church by Baselios Geevarghese I on 1 May 1925. He received the name Geevarghese Ivanios.[9]
Ecclesial communion
On 20 September 1930, Theophilos, John Kuzhinapurath, Alexander Attupurath, and Chacko Kiliyileth made the Catholic profession of faith before Aloysius Maria Benziger, the then Bishop of Kollam. Many of the members of the Bethany orders also came into full communion with the Catholic Church. This spawned the Syro-Malankara Catholic Church.
Establishment of the Syro-Malankara Catholic hierarchy
In 1932 Geevarghese made a pilgrimage to Rome for the reunion as per the letters from Rome and met
On his return from Rome, Geevarghese made efforts to build up the Unite Rite establishment of the Malankara Christian Community. Pope Pius XI established the Malankara Catholic hierarchy, Syro-Malankara Catholic on 11 June 1932 through the apostolic constitution Cristo pastorum principi.[11]
Ecumenical endeavours and cultural development of the society
Geevarghese sent missionaries to different parts of the land. Besides the newly joined bishops and priests from different Malankara denominations, he received missionaries from the
Geevarghese established about 50 schools, and one 'A' grade college, named
Silver Jubilee of episcopal ordination
The Silver Jubilee of the episcopal ordination of Geevarghese was celebrated in 1951, and Pope Pius XII wrote to him remembering the reconciliation.[15]
Death
Geevarghese died on 15 July 1953 and was entombed at
Writings
Girideepam - Mountain Lamp, Trans. Sr. Rehmas SIC, Cause of Canonization of Mar Ivanios, Trivandrum, 2006.
The Sacrament of Confession: A Meditative Study, Trans. Fr. Samuel Thaikkoottathil Ramban, Cause of Canonization of Mar Ivanios, Trivandrum, 2006.
The Holy Qurbono: An Appraisal and Meditation, Trans. Dr. Bishop Thomas Mar Anthonios (Antony Valiyavilayil OIC), Cause of Canonization of Mar Ivanios, Trivandrum, 2006.
The Liturgical Year: A Theological Reflection, Trans. Fr. Samuel Thaikkoottathil Ramban, Cause of Canonization of Mar Ivanios, Trivandrum, 2006.
A Guide to Malankara Religious Life, Trans. Fr. Samuel Thaikkoottathil Ramban, Cause of Canonization of Mar Ivanios, Trivandrum, 2006.
Cause of beatification and canonization
Geevarghese was declared
See also
References
Citations
- ^ "The reunion movement among the St Thomas Christians 19th and 20th centuries". Mahatma Gandhi University. 2008.
- ^ From a book "Archbishop Mor Ivanios" by Rev Fr Thomas Injakalodi,Vol. 1,(2006) Chapter-2 Page-27
- ^ Fr. Thomas Inchakkalody, Archbishop Mar Ivanios, Vol. 1, (2006) pp. 72-74.
- ^ Malayala Manorama, 29 July 1908 quoted in Fr. Thomas Inchakkalody, Archbishop Mar Ivanios Vol. 1 (2006), p. 89.
- ^ Fr. Thomas Inchakkalody, Archbishop Mar Ivanios Vol. 1, (2006), pp. 146-147
- ^ L. Moolaveettil, The Spiritual Life of Mar Ivanios, Kottayam, 1977, p.74
- ^ Fr. Thomas Kuzhinapurath, "Mar Ivanios: Bharata Christava Sanyasathinte Pravachakan", Deepika, 15 July 1997.
- ^ Fr. Thomas Inchakkalody, Archbishop Mar Ivanios (Vol.1), pp. 152-171
- ^ Rajan, Matthew (2004). "Baselios Geevarghese I - Second Catholicose". The Christian Light of Life. 3 (12): 221–225.
- ^ G.K. Chesterton, From the Universe, quoted in Fr. Thomas Inchakkalody, Archbishop Mar Ivanios, Vol. 2, Kottayam, 2006, p. 125.
- ^ Pius XI,Cristo pastorum principi in Acta Apostolicae Sedis, XXIV (1932) 289-292.
- ^ Syro-Malankara Catholic Directory, 1973
- ^ "The Nadar Community of Syro-Malankara Catholic Church".
- ^ Fr. Thomas Inchyakkalody, Archbishop Mar Ivanios, Vol. 2, Kottayam, 2006, p. 225.
- ^ Pius XII, "Letter to Archbishop Mar Ivanios" quoted in M. Gibbons, Mar Ivanios (1882-1953) Archbishop of Trivandrum: The Story of a Great Conversion, Dublin, 1962, p.127.
Sources
- "His Grace Most Rev. Geevarghese Mar Ivanios O.I.C."; Bethany Ashram website, retrieved 10 January 2006
- David Cheney. "Archbishop Ivanios Givergis Thomas Panikervitis". Catholic-Hierarchy.org. Retrieved 15 February 2013.
- Maragaret Gibbons, Mar Ivanios (1882–1953) Archbishop of Trivandrum: The Story of Great Conversion, Dublin, 1962.
- L. Moolaveettil, The Spiritual Life of Mar Ivanios, Kottayam, 1977.