Philipose Mar Chrysostom

Philipose Mar Chrysostom Mar Thoma Valiya Metropolitan born Philip Oommen on 27 April 1918 is the Valiya (senior) Metropolitan Bishop of the Mar Thoma Church. He has been a bishop for 62 years, 8 months and 26 days, which makes him the longest-serving bishop in India. He is addressed and referred to as Chrysostom Thirumeni or Valiya Thirumeni.

He is also known as the bishop with a golden tongue due to his uncanny ability to communicate theological doctrines with people through humor in ease. At the time of consecration, he was given the episcopal title Mar Chrysostom.

Early life and education

Philipose Mar Chrysostom was born on 27 April 1918.^[1] His father was Vicar General K. E. Oommen, Kalamannil, Adangapurathu, Kumbanad. His mother was Sosamma of Nadukke Veettil, Karthikappally.^[2] He did his schooling at Maramon, Kozhencherry and Eraviperoor schools, and went on to graduate from Union Christian College, Aluva. During his early childhood days, the independence movement was very active and the youth engaged in different social movements. These movements reflected in his decision to join in evangelistic activities in Ankola Aashram along with the Revd P. J. Thomas.

He was ordained as a deacon of the Mar Thoma Church on 1 January 1944 and Kasseessa on 3 June 1944. He was ordained as Ramban on 20 May 1953.

Consecration

Realizing the need for three more bishops for the Mar Thoma Church, the Church Mandalam (representative assembly) in 1950 decided to consecrate three more bishops; Oommen was one of those selected. During his Bishopship, he was the president of National Council of Churches, India and has attended World Council of Churches at Evanston in 1954 and Uppsala in 1968. He also attended the Second Vatican Council. He has a deep concern for the upliftment of the community and renders valuable services to the ecumenical cause.

Status metropolitan

Episcopa

On 23 May 1953, Juhanon Mar Thoma Metropolitan assisted by Mathews Mar Athanasius Episcopa ordained Rev Philip Oommen as Episcopa and gave him the episcopal title, Philipose Mar Chrysostom. Rev M.G.Chandy (Alexander Mar Theophilus later Alexander Mar Thoma ) and Rev P.Thomas (Thomas Mar Athanasius) were also ordained on the same day.

In 1954 Mar Chrysostom joined St. Augustine's College, Canterbury, the United Kingdom to further his theological studies.

Suffragan Metropolitan

He was designated as Suffragan Metropolitan in May 1978. After Alexander Mar Thoma Metropolitan stepped aside from the daily administration of the Church due to physical ailments on 15 March 1999, Mar Chrysostom was designated Officiating Metropolitan.

Metropolitan

Mar Chrysostom was installed as Metropolitan on 23 October 1999 when Alexander Mar Thoma Metropolitan was made Valiya Metropolitan. (Senior Metropolitan)

Valiya (Senior) Metropolitan

On 28 August 2007, Thirumeni announced his resignation as supreme head of the Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church on grounds of old age and ill-health^[3]

Navathy Home Project

Philipose Mar Chrysostom Mar Thoma Metropolitan completed 90 years on 27 April 2008. As part of the celebration Mar Thoma Church devised a project, Navathy Home Project, to support and enable 1500 families in India, irrespective of cast, creed or religion, to build a home of their own. (Malayalam – navathy – ninetieth anniversary). The cost of each home was Rs. 1,50,000. (US$2400). Each house consisted of a sit out, a drawing room, a bedroom, a kitchen, a dining room and a toilet. Mar Thoma Church members donated so much that the project was a great success, that it extended from India up to Mexico.

Longest reigning bishop

He is the longest reigning bishop in India and has completed 62 years, 8 months and 26 days as a bishop.

He is now 97 years, 9 months and 22 days old.

See also

• Mar Thoma Church
• Throne of St. Thomas
• Marthoma Metrans
• List of Malankara Metropolitans
• Syrian Malabar Nasrani
• Saint Thomas Christians
• Christianity in India
• List of Syrian Malabar Nasranis
• Juhanon Mar Thoma
• Alexander Mar Thoma
• Joseph Mar Thoma

References

Further reading

• Eapen, K. V. (2001). Malankara Marthoma Suryani Sabha Charitram. (History of Malankara Marthoma Syrian Church). Pub: Kallettu, Muttambalam, Kottayam.
• Mathew, N. M. Malankara Marthoma Sabha Charitram, (History of the Marthoma Church), Volume 1 (2006), Volume II (2007), Volume III (2008). Pub. E.J.Institute, Thiruvalla.
• Malankara Mar Thoma Syrian Church. His Grace the Most Rev Dr Philipose Mar Chrysostom, 2006.
• Zac Varghese & Mathew A. Kallumpram. Glimpses of Mar Thoma Church History. London, England, 2003. ISBN 81-900854-4-1.
• George C. Abraham. A Golden Tongue to Glorify his Master- Wit and Wisdom of Mar Chrysostom, Dawn India Books, Thiruvalla, India, 2002.

External links

• Official website of the Mathoma Syrian Church