Alexander Mar Thoma

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The Most Reverend Dr. Alexander Mar Thoma Metropolitan
Metropolitan of the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church
Enthroned	1976
Ended	1999
Predecessor	Juhanon Mar Thoma
Successor	Philipose Mar Chrysostom

Died	2000

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Alexander Mar Thoma Metropolitan was the son of Rev. M C George, Kuriannor, a devout Minister of the Church, who died in 1923. After his graduation and teacher’s training, he taught in the C M S High School, Kottayam for 12 years. He resigned his teaching job and studied Theology at the United Theological College in Bangalore. There after he secured STM Degree from the Union Theological Seminary, New York and Ph.D on Bhagavad Gita from Kennedy School of Mission of the Hartford Seminary Foundation. He had the opportunity to travel extensively in the European countries and after returning from the States, he was in charge of the Managnam Parish for a year. Thereafter he worked as the first Principal of Mar Thoma College, Tiruvalla. In 1953 he was consecrated as Bishop as Alexander Mar Theophilus, together with Thomas Mar Athanasius and Philipose Mar Chrysostom. A participant of the Assemblies of World Council of Churches representing the Mar Thoma Church at Evanston in 1954, Nairobi in 1975, and Vancouver in 1983, he worked as Missionary Bishop for many years, which involved extensive travel in India and abroad. He was president of the Bible Society of India for nearly 10 years and was also one of the Vice-Presidents of the United Bible Societies. He has also attended the Central Committee of the W.C.C on different occasions. He attended the Lambeth Conference in 1980 and the Anglican Consultative Council held at Nigeria in 1984. In 1973 he was designated Suffragan Metropolitan and as Metropolitan in the year 1976 after the demise of Juhanon Mar Thoma Metropolitan. Together with the responsibility as Metropolitan he was in charge of the Niranam-Maramon Diocese with 82 Parishes. He used to spend several weeks in a year with the youth giving leadership in camps and conferences and challenging them to personal commitment towards Jesus Christ. He took special interest in the developmental activities and the social concerns of the church, its educational institutions, its missionary and evangelistic outreach, its witness and ecumenical concerns.

In 1999 Alexander Marthoma was designated Alexander Marthoma Valia Metropolitan, as the first Marthoma Metropolitan to be made Valia Metropolitan. He died in 2000.

Preceded by Juhanon Mar Thoma	Metropolitan of the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church 1976 – 1999	Succeeded by Philipose Mar Chrysostom

[edit] See Also

[edit] References

1. Juhanon Marthoma Metropolitan, The Most Rev. Dr. (1952). Christianity in India and a Brief History of the Marthoma Syrian Church.. Pub: K.M. Cherian.
2. Mathew N.M. (2003). St. Thomas Christians of Malabar Through Ages’’, C.S.S. Tiruvalla. ISBN 81-4821-008-8 and CN 80303
3. Zac Varghese Dr. & Mathew A. Kallumpram. (2003). ‘’Glimpses of Mar Thoma Church History’’. London, England. ISBN 81/900854/4/1
4. Chacko, T.C. (1936) Malankara Marthoma Sabha Charithra Samgraham’’. (Concise History of Marthoma Church), Pub: E.J. Institute, Kompady, Tiruvalla.
5. Eapen, Prof. Dr. K.V. (2001). ‘’Malankara Marthoma Suryani Sabha Charitram’’. (History of Malankara Marthoma Syrian Church). Pub: Kallettu, Muttambalam, Kottayam.
6. Ittoop Writer, (1906). ‘’Malayalathulla Suryani Chistianikauleday Charitram’’. (History of Syrain Christians in the land of Malayalam)
7. Mathew, N.M. ‘’Malankara Marthoma Sabha Charitram’’, (History of the Marthoma Church), Volume 1.(2006), Volume II (2007). Volume III (to be released in 2008) Pub. E.J.Institute, Thiruvalla