Baselios Geevarghese II

His Holiness Baselios Geevarghese II Catholicos of the East & Malankara Metropolitan
Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church(Indian orthodox church)&Jacobite Syrian Christian Church
Baselios Geevarghese II
See	Apostolic See of St. Thomas in the East
Installed	1934
Term ended	1964
Predecessor	Baselios Geevarghese I Catholicos & Mar Dionysius VI Malankara Metropolitan
Successor	Baselios Augen I
Orders
Ordination	1898
Consecration	24 December 1929
Personal details
Born	16 June 1874 Kurichi
Died	3 Jan 1964 Kottayam
Buried	Catholicate Palace, Devalokam, Kottayam

Baselius Geevarghese II of the Indian Orthodox Church (1874–1964), the Third Catholicos of Malankara and Malankara Metropolitan, was born to Ulah-anan and Naithi of the Kallaserri family in Kurichi, Kottayam India on 16 June 1874.

On 24 April 1892, Kadavil Paulose Mar Athanasios ordained him as deacon and on 24 November and 27 November 1898 he was ordained as priest and Ramban respectively by Parumala Mar Gregorios.^[1] He resided in Kadambanad church and took charge of the southern dioceses of the Indian Orthodox Church. He also served as Manager and Malpan of the Old Seminary. His published books included "Sahodaran- marude Charithram". "Rehasya Prarthanakal". "Parudaisa", and "Mar Yuhanon Mamdana".

On 8 September 1912 Abded Messiah consecrated him as Metropolitan Geevarghese Mar Gregorios at Parumala Seminary. He was appointed as the Metropolitan of Thumpamon, Kollam and Niranam dioceses. On 15 February 1929, the Episcopal Synod of Malankara headed by Malankara Metropolitan Vattaserril Geevarghese Mar Dionysius installed him as the Catholicos of the East, succeeding Catholicos Baselius Geevarghese I, who had died in the previous year.^[1]

When the Association met on 24 December 1934 at M.D. Seminary, Kottayam, he was chosen as Malankara Metropolitan. It was a period when issues within the Indian Orthodox Church were becoming very complicated. Through prayer and fasting he received the strength from God to lead his people for many years, inspiring his people to work for their Church and for the glory of God. Following the peace pact of 1958, he had the good fortune to guide the destiny of the unified Indian Orthodox Church.^[2]

Apart from consecrating twelve Metropolitans, and ordaining more than a thousand priests and deacons, he founded and consecrated many churches. As the Catholicos of the East, he officiated in the consecration of Holy Mooron (anointing oil) at the Old Seminary on 22 April 1932 and on 20 April 1951. On 2 November 1947 he declared Parumala Mar Gregorios and Catholicos Eldho Mor Baselios as saints.^[1]

From his time onwards the offices of Catholicos and Malankara Metropolitan were united in one and the same person. Baselius Geevarghese II died on 3 January 1964 at Develokam Aramana and was laid to rest beside the Devalokam Aramana Chapel. Every year the Church observes his feast on 3 January.

References

External links

• Baselius Geevarghese II and the Indian Orthodox Church at the Wayback Machine (archived 23 July 2008)
• 20th century leaders of the Indian Orthodox Church
• Baselius Geevarghese II on the Indian Christians website
• Website of the Indian Orthodox Church