Yuhanon Mar Meletius
| Yuhanon Mar Meletius | |
|---|---|
 Yuhanon Mar Meletius | |
| Church | Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church |
| Diocese | Thrissur Diocese |
| In office | 1990–present |
| Orders | |
| Ordination |
December 23rd 1990 by Ignatius Zaka I, Patriarch of Antioch |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
July 4, 1954 Ezhakaranad, Kerala |
Yuhanon Mar Meletius is a Bishop Of Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church.
Childhood
Yuhanon Mar Meletius was born on 4 July 1954, the first-born child of M.J. Markose, a farmer and a social worker, and Saramma Markose in Ezhakaranad, Ernakulam district, Kerala. He was named Rajan. His siblings are Loosy Kuriachan Mangalathu, Jose Markose Murimakil, and Santhosh Markose Murimakil.
Education
Mar Meletius was schooled in Ezhakaranad Government Upper Primary School and Maneed Government High School. He did his PDC and BA in Malayalam language and literature in St. Peter's College Kolenchery. He took his Bachelor of Divinity [BD] and Master of Theology [MTh] in Old Testament from United Theological College, Bangalore. He took his second Master of Theology [ThM] and PhD Qualifying (Old Testament) from Lutheran School of Theology at Chicago. He submitted his PhD paper to Dharmaram Vidyashektram, Bangalore. Meanwhile, he studied Syriac at St Aphrem’s Seminary, Damascus
Priesthood and career
He was ordained as Deacon on 31 January 1973 by Paulose Mar Philexinos, Metropolitan of Kandanadu diocese.He was ordained as a Priest on 23 May 1986 by Catholicos Baselius Paulose II of the Malankara Church (Jacobite Faction). His ordination as monk was on 22 December 1990 by Ignatius Zaka I, Patriarch of Antioch of the Universal Syrian Orthodox Church. He was ordained as a Metropolitan on 23 December 1990 by Ignatius Zaka I, Patriarch of Antioch of the Universal Syrian Orthodox Church. He was given the charge of Thrissur Diocese. Mar Meletios was one of the three Bishops from the Patriarch faction to accept the constitution of the Malankara Orthodox Church and move to the Orthodox faction. He was involved in controversy when he was one of the bishops to have consecrated a defected Bishop from the Syriac orthodox church in 2007, without the consent of the Episcopal Synod of the Church.[1] The consecration was in contention also due to the lack of three bishops needed for a canonical consecration.[2] The Synod approved the consecration in a later meeting.[3] However, in a subsequent action the Synod de-recognised the said Metropolitan.
He was a teacher at St. Aprem Syrian Orthodox Theological Seminary, Damascus[4] for one year. He was a teacher at MSOT Seminary, Malelcruz. He was a teacher at MSOT Seminary, Vettickal, Mulanthuruthy. Parishes in which he served as vicar are St.Mary's Church, Valamboor, St. Ignatius Church, Dallas, TX, USA. He was the President SOYA for 5 years. He was a member of NCCI,[5] CASA[6] National Board, CASA South Region and President of OCYM.[7]
In 2007 December, he was involved in the consecration of rebel monk of Syriac Orthodox Church Ramban Moosa Gurgan as Moosa Gurgan Mar Severios. The consecration ceremony was performed by Yuhanon Mar Meletius of Thrissur diocese and Dr.Thomas Mar Athanasios of Kandanad East Diocese of Malankara Orthodox Church and assisted by Late Thomas Mar Makarios.
As a bishop Mar Meletius travelled to Turkey, USA, Canada, Vatican, Italy, UK, Sweden, Rumania, Germany, Holland, Austria, Sri Lanka, Samoa, Australia, South Africa, Singapore, Malaysia, and Gulf countries. As of 2013 He lived in Gedseemon Bishop's House, Mannuthy, Thrissur, Kerala, India.
Publications
He published Four Books: Verukal Thedi (In Search of Roots – travelogue); Swathantryavum Swayam Paryapthathayum [Freedom and Self Sufficiency]; Manavikathayude Kazhchappadukal [Visions of Humanism]; Christava Samipanam Visakalanavum Vichithananvum (Christian Approach: Analysis and Evaluation]. He also published several articles in periodicals including Malankara Sabha, Sastra Gathi, Samakalika Malayalam, and New Vision.
References
- ↑ http://www.syrianchurch.org/news/IndianExpress20Dec07.pdf
- ↑ http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/Clash+of+cardinals/1/2462.html
- ↑ http://www.hindu.com/2007/12/07/stories/2007120756490300.htm
- ↑ Seminary. "St.Aphrem Seminary".
- ↑ NCCI. "National Council for Churches in India".
- ↑ CASA. "Church’s Auxiliary for Social Action".
- ↑ Youth Movement. "OCYM".